It's No Fun to be a Side Character in a Fairy Tail
by Sincerely The Sign Painter
Summary: (No. 6 AU) Cinderella finally got her wish. With a wave of her fairy godmother's magic wand lizards turned into horsemen and rats into footmen. One "rat" is not very happy at the prospect of being turned into a human to serve a random woman and breaks the rules to wander off during the ball. There he meets the prince and things do not go according to the fairy godmother's plan.
1. Chapter 1

" _And now you need footmen" a voice said._

Nezumi found himself standing on a dirt path in front of a fancy house. To his right there was a sizable garden overgrown with pumpkins. Behind him was a white coach with silver lining around the front and back, pulled by four magnificent horses. They pawed the grown impatiently ready to set off on their journey. Beside him three other young men were standing, confusion written on their faces. Glancing down Nezumi found that he was wearing a smart blue and red uniform, sturdy black boots, and a pair of pure white gloves. On his head he a gray triangular hat with a long red feather sticking out of it. His hair, that now came down to the bottom of his neck, was tied with a simple blue bow. Nezumi narrowed his eyes as he took in all of this. He was not pleased. He did not want to be here. He had been sneaking through the grounds around the garden shed searching for some left-over corn to store for the winter and enjoying the nice cool autumn air when suddenly…he was here. He glanced down at his gloved hand. Yep there were human hands. Somehow, for some reason he had turned from a rat to a human.

"Oh, it's wonderful!" A woman's voice squealed in delight. Nezumi turned his attention to his left. Two women were standing a few feet away from him. The younger on was wearing a torn-up dress green dress and had messing dirt covered blond hair. Her face was tear stricken and also covered in dirt. The older woman was short and wearing a thin silver glowing gown. Over the gown she had a light green traveling cloak with the hood pulled up so only a few strands of wispy light grey hair were visible. Sticking out of the back of her gown... Nezumi squinted at her. Did humans usually have wings? As he watched the older woman waved a stick which she held delicacy in one hand and the younger human's rags turned into a light blue gown. All the dirt was gone from her body and her hair was now pulled up in elegant bun. The woman spun around as she surveyed her new outfit, gasping in pleasure.

 _Open the coach's door for her._

A voice that was not his shot through Nezumi's head and he felt compelled to follow it. Before he could stop himself, he had opened the coach door. Around him the other young men were also moving. One jumped in the driver's seat, and another one put down a step for the woman to climb into the coach with. The younger woman gave the older woman a hug and bounded into the coach.

 _Close the door and hold on to the side._

He followed the directions again gridding his teeth. Nezumi had never been good at taking orders. He had been kicked out of the rat colony for this reason. He definitely did not like having a human's voice tell him what to do. The coach started moving and Nezumi watched the scenery pass by him as he tried to get a hold on his situation.

He was a human. Whatever that old woman did turned him from a rat to a human.

 _Magic_

The voice in his head told him. Its role seemed not only to command him but also fill him in on basic human facts. As he past human structures the voice told him what they were and what their uses were. _House, road, store,_ Nezumi closed his eyes and gridded his teeth harder. He really did not care about how humans lived. Even with his eyes closed however the voice continued to speak, sending knowledge straight into his brain. This went on through the whole trip until the coach slowly came to a stop and voice was finally silent.

 _Open the door. Let her out. Bow to her. Close the door. Wait by the coach._

He opened his eyes and followed the directions again. The young woman hopped from the coach and pranced excitedly up the stairs. As she disappeared into the building _(castle)_ castlea question occurred to Nezumi. Why did the woman _(fairy)_ fairy turn him into a human? Was it simply to bring the young woman here? Nezumi narrowed his eyes at that thought. So, he was an ornament to make that woman's trip more present. He didn't enjoy being human, however, if he had to go through all the trouble of being one then he was going to do more than just drop a woman off at an event _(Ball)_ Ball. A smile spread across Nezumi's face. While he was here and human he might as well enjoy himself. He jumped lightly to the ground and confidently sauntered towards the castle.

 _Wait by the coach_

 _Wait by the coach_

 _WAIT BY THE COACH_

The voice got more and more commanding as he approached the building and Nezumi fought the urge to return. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and gritted his teeth. He concentrated on moving one foot in front of the other. He was not going to return and be a good servant and wait by the coach just because a fairy needed a footman to decorate the young woman's coach. As he walked, he noticed a garden to one side of the castle and veered towards it. As soon as he changed courses the voice in his head got a little quieter. It seemed to him that the voice was less commanding as long as he stayed outside the castle. Nezumi smirked. That was fine with him. He was a rat after all.

…..

"This was a bad idea" Sion groaned quietly as he watched his guest dance. From his place at the high table he was able to watch them without anyone inviting him to dance. Sion didn't dislike his subjects, on the contrary he wanted everyone to be happy. He just thought, however there were better ways to help his subjects then to throw a ball. He thought of his library and all the information there. He was already working on plans to increase plant growth and introduces new methods of farming. If he could just continue his work imagine how many people would benefit from it.

"The kingdom would also benefit from your marriage!" his mother had pointed out. "Once you marry you can insure the thrown is passed on."

"Why can't I just adopt a child?" Sion had asked. "There are plenty of children who need a family. There's no reason for me to get married!"

"Do you think the other kingdoms will buy that excuse?" His mother had asked. "Remember they won't stop trying to get you to marry their children until you settle down. How are you going to work with them if they just see you as a way to get your thrown? Marry someone and they will see you as an adult and work with you."

And with that the ball was set up and all the young women invited. He knew everyone wanted him to find that 'special' someone in the room, but he was just not interested. He had danced with a few of the women and all of them were only interested in trying to flatter him.

There was only one woman who that he enjoyed the company of. She wore a light blue gown that she nervously told him was made by a fairy. She had giggled after that they began talking about their lives. She told him that this was her first ball and she was having a wonderful time. Sion liked how her face lit up as she gazed around the room. He was glad that at least someone here was not only interested in marriage. This enjoyable time did not last, and after three dances she had rushed off muttering about the bathroom. Right afterwards two less delightful women showed up and tried to seduce him.

It had been an hour since she disappeared, and he was not in the mood to dance. A new song started up and Sion forehead seemed to throb in tune to the song. He rubbed his temple and looked longingly at the door. Perhaps he could leave for a few minutes. No one would mind as long as he returned quickly. Silently he rose to his feet. Two attendance quickly approached him ready to escort him to the dance floor.

"I'm just going out to get some fresh air." Sion said pushing pasted them and edging his way around the edge of the room. "I'll be back in a minute." He got to the garden door without any of the gust noticing his departure and rushed out into the night.

….

The cool air felt wonderful on Sion's face. He closed his eyes as his mind cleared of any incoming headaches. Out here it didn't matter if he married or not. Out hear he could enjoy the feeling of the breeze as it passed through his hair. It was such a relief to be away from everything. He let out a long content sigh and opened his eyes …. then jumped back. Sitting in font of him on a rail to the garden was a young footman. The man was so still Sion could have taken him for a stature if it wasn't for the fact he wasn't there before. He stared unblinkingly at Sion, his strange grey eyes pierces Sion's red ones. Sion stared back in shock. The breeze that Sion was enjoying only moments go had completely disappeared leaving the world silent and still. Sion felt his heart beat silently in his chest as the second slipped away.

"Shouldn't you be with the coaches?" Sion said awkwardly and the spell was broken. The man blinked twice and slid smoothly off the rail.

"Perhaps" he said mildly. "But there's not much to do there." Sion watched the man as he gracefully walked around him. The man's moments were slow and stealthily, yet confidently. Sion had never met a coachman who had such an air about him as this one did. He found it intriguing.

"Who are you?" Sion asked curiously.

"Me?" the man asked smirking, "Nezumi"

"Nezumi?" Sion asked, "Like a rat? That's an alias, right?" Does that make you an actor?"

"No, it makes me a rat."

"I don't understand." Sion said confused.

"Of course you don't" Nezumi said amused. They lapped back into silence each watching each other again. Finally, Sion couldn't take it anymore and asked:

"Do you want to see the library?"

…

 _Wait by the coach_

 _Wait by the coach_

The voice was pounding in Nezumi's head as he followed the white-haired man to the library. He greatly hoped that this library wasn't in the castle or else he would have a problem. Nezumi didn't know why he agreed to go with this man to the library. He had been in in one many times before and it wasn't very interesting. Books weren't very tasty, and he only ever gnawed on their pages when he was starving during the winter. If it wasn't for the fact that going to such a place defied the voice in his head, he wouldn't have gone at all. Besides… this strange young white-hair man intrigued him.

"I'm Sion by the way." The white-haired man said looking over his shoulder at Nezumi while they walked. Nezumi didn't answer.

"Anyways, your going like the library." Sion chatted as they walked towards a small building on edge of the garden. "I've been collecting books for a while, so it has a large variety." Nezumi still didn't speak. Sion undeterred by Nezumi's silence continued to gab away about his library. The voice in Nezumi's head had gotten quieter as they went away from the castle. He was again able to think more clearly.

"And here we are!" Sion finally said pulling open the doors to his library. Nezumi stepped in and glanced around. The library looked bigger on the inside. The ceiling and walls were decorated in gold designs that looped around vibrantly painted pictures. On the ground there was a deeply set rug with a blue and purple flower pattered. Sion's book collection itself was equally as impressive, with tall oak bookshelves the almost reached the ceiling; full of books of different sizes and shapes. The bookshelves formed narrow alleyways which lead to secluded corners and notches, perfect for hiding. In these corners there were sturdy wooden tables, many which had an open book or two on them. Nezumi was deeply impressed despite himself.

"Feel free to read what you want." Sion said happily as he wandered to one of the tables and picked up a book on plants. Nezumi paused for a moment before he wandered down one of the rows. He had no idea what he was looking for, but he knew he didn't want to read about plants. He finally decided to start somewhere and pulled a random book out and plopped down on the rug. He opened the book and found that the scribbles on the pages formed words and that he could read these words. These words formed a story which soon Nezumi found himself lost in.

He wasn't aware of how much time had passed when he felt something touch his shoulder. He glanced causally back and found Sion looking over his shoulder to see the book.

"Oh, you're reading Romeo and Juliet?" Sion asked cheerfully. Nezumi eyed him and then went back to reading.

"I'm guessing you like it." Sion laughed. "You can have it if you like." Nezumi glanced back at him again in surprise then nodding.

"Thanks." He said.

"I don't usually read books like that." Sion continued. "I prefer nonfiction then fiction. I would rather learn about the world."

"Then why do you even have these kind books?" Nezumi asked his eyes still glued to the book.

"Gifts mostly," Sion admitted as he sat down with his book next to Nezumi. "My whole court gave me them when I said I was starting my own private library. Even now on by birthday I get different kinds of books."

"I see." Nezumi said turning a page in his book. He was having trouble reading it now because of Sion's words. The second Sion had said court the voice in his head filled him in.

 _Court, royalty_. _Sion's the prince. This is his ball_

"If you're the prince." Nezumi finally said. "Then shouldn't you be at your ball?"

"I'm sure they won't miss me if I'm gone a couple of minutes." Sion said offhandedly glance out the window. Then he gasped and jumped up.

"What is it?" Nezumi asked uninterested not looking up from his book.

"I've been here for an hour and a half!" Sion squeaked.

"Well then you better get going." Nezumi said mildly flipping another page.

"Yeah," Sion agreed placing his book on one of the tables and charging the door. He paused when he got there. "Feel free to stay as long as you like here." He said smiling.

"Sure." Nezumi said glancing up. The white-haired man gave one more beaming smile and then disappeared. Nezumi turned back to his book grateful for the silence. It wasn't that he really minded that human's company. Although he didn't want to admit it to himself, he had enjoyed listening to Sion's cheerful chitter chatter. There was a limit however on how long he could tolerate humans. He was a rat after all, and he wanted his solitude. Nezumi turned another page and made a mental note that if he got to see Sion again this evening, he would recommend this book to him.

Nezumi wasn't sure how long he read after Sion had left. Truthfully, he wasn't paying attention to anything else around him, something that is quite dangerous to a rat. All he knew was at some point the clock was chiming _(Midnight)_. A sudden chill ran down his back.

 _GET BACK TO THE COACH!_

 _GET BACK TO THE COACH!_

The voice hollered at him. Nezumi gasped in pain and grabbed his head. There was no way he could ignore this. Groggily he closed the book and slipped it into a pocket. Then he staggered to his feet and ran back to the coach. As he approached it, he heard the sound of running footsteps and the young woman came darting down the stairs. As she came to the last few steps she tripped and went sprawling on the ground at Nezumi's feet. One of her shoes when flying into the air and landed perfectly upright on the top step. Nezumi snorted with laugher as he opened the door for the disheveled woman.

 _Leave now!_

Nezumi slammed the door and jumped aboard as the coach took off as top speed. It barreled through the town.

As it thundered up the dirt road leading to the woman's house it suddenly gave a lurch and began shrinking, turning an odd orange color as it did so. With a cry of terror, the woman pulled herself out of the window and tumbled out of the coach. Nezumi swore and leapt gracefully to the ground. He turned to see the coach had become a pumpkin and was rolling towards the gardening shed. It hit it and smashed to pieces. Around the smushed pumpkin rats, mice, and lizards scattered in all directions. The woman groaned from somewhere behind him and he looked over at her. She was staggering to her feet, her light blue gown replaced by the torn dress. The coach had become a pumpkin again. The woman's dress and jewelry had disappeared. The footmen and horse men and horse had returned to their normal forms. The magical night had ended, and everything was back to how it should be.

Then why was Nezumi still a human?


	2. Chapter 2

The young woman blinked a few times and eyed her surroundings. She was back in the garden in front of her step family's house. The woman glanced down at her torn-up outfit and dirty hands. After seeing that her outfit had returned to its ragged state, she gave a sigh of disappointment. It was over. The magical night was done. With a sad look on her face, the young woman turned to go into the house. As she moved a shimmering light caught her attention and she paused. Glancing down again she saw to her amazement that she still had one of her glass slippers. The woman's eyes filled with wonder and she gave a soft gasp. Slowly, as if she was afraid it would disappear, she slipped off shoe and held it up to the sky. The shoe sparked in the moonlight like a beacon of hope in her life. The woman's eyes glistened with tears at the miraculous sight and a soft smiling crossed her face. Then the woman gave a loud giggled and hugged the shoe close to her body, twirled around where she stood.

"Thank you." She repeated over and over again to the night sky. With one more grateful glance toward the castle she turned again to walk to the garden shed.

"Oh my!" she gasped taking a step back, her hand almost letting go of the glass shoe. Nezumi eyed her wearily. All of the woman's earlier excitement was gone, replaced by a stunned expression. She stared at him for a moment before asking nervously.

"Aren't you a…uh…a rat? Shouldn't you have…um…you know turned back to a rat by now?" Nezumi watched her for a second without letting any emotions cross his face. She squirmed in the uncomfortably awkward silence. Finally, he let a smirk cross his face.

"Oh? Now that your little night out is done you want to get rid of me?" Nezumi asked mockingly, his voice soft and cold. "I guess now that the lady doesn't need a couch anymore, I should make myself scares." He gave a mock bow. In all reality he had no idea why he was still there and was wishing he was a rat again but there was no reason to tell this woman that. He was not going to show any weakness to humans especially this one who had just used him.

"No…um… I just thought…" the woman stammered. She quickly glanced around the yard as if she hoped to find someone to help her. "Perhaps my fairy godmother could help…I mean you are supposed to be a rat…you should return to being one…" she petered off looking truly lost. Nezumi raised his eyebrow. Her confused expression was almost funny, almost. Although he wanted to be a rat again, he found it insulting how desperately she wanted to get rid of him. The woman took a couple steps away from him and closed her eyes.

"Oh godmother, please return to me!" the woman begged the sky. "I really need your help!" She paused and opened her eyes. The empty yard greeted her. She glanced back at Nezumi as if she was hoping he had disappeared. He crossed his arms looking highly unimpressed.

"Godmother please help!" she begged the sky again a little more desperately. Suddenly out of the nearby bushes, fireflies appeared. They twinkled as they started swirling around and around. Nezumi watched them as they formed the shape of a woman then disappeared leaving the fairy godmother in their wake.

"What is it Cinderella dear?" The fairy godmother asked the young woman. Unlike her earlier appearance the fairy didn't seem very happy to be called out so late. Her gracious smile, which she had worn through their earlier interaction was gone, replaced by a small frown. Her fluttery and musical voice had become stiffer and she was crossing her arms. "Did everything go well at the ball? Did you get to dance with the prince?"

"Oh yes it was wonderful!" exclaimed the woman…what was her name? Cinderella? "But at the end…you said it would all disappear at midnight…" The fairy godmother's disapproving eyes traveled quizzingly to the shoe still clutched in Cinderella's hand and she relaxed.

"Oh, my dear," the fairy godmother said gentle as the gracious smile appeared on her lips again. "The glass slippers are a gift. They will never break, never get old, and never disappear."

"Really?" Cinderella exclaimed joyfully. "Oh, thank you fairy godmother! Thank you so much." She glanced up over the godmother's shoulder where Nezumi was shooting her a cold look. "But um godmother… what about…him?" She pointed at Nezumi and the fairy godmother glanced over. Her smile instantly disappeared replaced by a look of utmost shock. The older woman opened her mouth then paused and then closed it again. She gaped at Nezumi for a few minutes before coming to her senses.

"That shouldn't be." She finally said agitatedly. "You should be a rat! Why are you here?"

"Why am I here?" Nezumi asked rising his eyebrows. "I'm here because a fairy needed free labor." He spat the last part and Cinderella flinched. The fairy godmother looked disturbed. This was clearly not part of her plan.

"This could only happen if you learned human knowledge." She muttered.

"Your voice told me all about human life and society." Nezumi said coolly.

"That doesn't count." The fairy godmother said waving a hand dismissively. "All information I gave you through magic would be removed once the spell ended. You would only remain a human if you'd gained human knowledge by yourself." Her frown deepened. "But, how could you? There should have been no human knowledge at the coach…unless…" her eyes narrowed, and her voice became stern. "Were you the one who left the coach." Nezumi met her glare with a neutral expression.

"So, by leaving the coach I learned human knowledge." Nezumi asked calmly. He thought over his little adventure with Sion. As he thought it over, he suddenly remembered the little book he borrowed from Sion. He could still feel it pressing against his leg. Nezumi closed his eyes and cursed silently.

"Would this count?" He said, pulling out the book.

"Where did you get that?!" The fairy godmother gasped. "Why would you read a book?" Her shock confirmed his suspicions.

"So, this is the problem?" Nezumi said grasping the little book in his hands. "How can I undo what I learned?" As much as he enjoyed the book, he would still rather be a rat again. The fairy godmother gaped at him with her mouth opened, then closed it and shook her head. A belittling smiled spread across her face again.

"My dear rat," she said soothingly, "you have been granted a great gift." She approached him and placing a dainty hand on his shoulder. Nezumi gave an involuntary shiver at the contact. "You are now human. Go forth and enjoy your life!" She raised her wand and waved it. With a flash of light, she was gone. The garden was quiet for a moment.

"W-w-wait!" Cinderella finally cried, "You can't leave him here!" Nezumi cursed loudly while the young woman cried out to the sky. This situation just kept getting worse. Her comment of "great gift" basically meant she had no idea what to do about him and was abandoning him. Not that it mattered, he was used to being by himself, however it also meant he could not return to be a rat anymore. He knew he shouldn't have taken that book… of course there was nothing he could do about it now.

Nezumi spun around and walked towards the house.

"Where are you going?" Cinderella squeaked.

"Your father's old library." Nezumi said. "No one goes there."

"Ho-how do you know that?" Cinderella called after him. Nezumi glanced over his shoulder a bored look on his face.

"I'm a rat." He said simply. "I know where to hid from humans."

…

"He could have been an assassin!" Sir Williams yelled slamming down his fists on the table. "What if he tried to kill you?"

"If he was an assassin, he would have killed me when we were alone at my library." Sion sighed. Sir William gaped at the white-haired prince his eyes bulging.

"You were alone with him at your private library?!" he roared angrily. "Why would you go somewhere alone with him?!" Sion rubbed his forehead tiredly wishing he could hid in his library. Right after the ball Sir Williams had dragged Sion to the meeting room and started chastising him on leaving his guests for an hour and a half. Sion had tried to explain that he was not alone but when he mentioned the dark-haired stranger Sir. Williams mood escalated.

Sir Williams was a good man. Sion knew this. He had protected Sion since he was a child and was somewhat a father figured to him after his real father had passed away. But he was also strict, especially when it came to Sion's kindness. He was constantly worried that the young prince's kindness would lead him to his death someday.

"You're too kind Prince Sion." Sir Williams warned, "That man could have hurt you… You don't know anything about him. Did he even give you his name? Sion paused a second before reluctantly answering.

"Yes"

Sir Williams noticed the young man's hesitation and his eyes narrowed.

"What is it?" he asked. Sion took a deep breath.

"Nezumi." The white-haired prince muttered. Just as he predicted Sir Williams exploded.

"You went somewhere secluded with someone who wouldn't even tell you his real name!?" he roared. Sion sighed as Sir Williams attempted to calm himself. After a minute he continued

"Prince Sion you know better than this. And what an alias, Rat!" He shot Sion a desperate look, "Why, Prince Sion Why? Even his name indicates he was up to no good." Sion said nothing. No matter how worried Sir Williams was, Sion wouldn't believe that Nezumi was bad. Sir Williams stood up and started pacing the room.

"We need to search the library." He concluded "If he's still there we will bring him in for questioning."

"He's not." Sion said regretfully. "I saw him leave. He's the footman for that girl in the blue dress." Sir Williams paused.

"You mean the young woman no one knew and seemed to come from nowhere?" Sir Williams asked slowly. When Sion nodded, he gave a snort.

"Well, they did a wonderful job luring you out."

"And yet I'm still here." Sion said tiredly. "Alive and well." Sir Williams growled and resumed pacing again, angrily beginning another lecture on the dangers of assassins. Sion tuned him out.

Overall the ball had not been as bad as Sion feared it would be. After he left Nezumi reading in the library he had run into the young woman with the light blue dress. They had spent the rest of the evening talking over dinner. Around midnight however she suddenly became nervous. She glanced at the clock and her face went really pale. Before Sion had time to ask her what was wrong, she had excused herself and took off towards the door. Sion, worried about her heath, had followed her back to her coach to make sure she was alright. At the door of the castle he saw her tumble down the stairs. Sion had rushed forward and had almost tripped on one of her shoes that must of fell off. That was when Sion saw him. Holding onto the side of the coach was Nezumi. Sion had called out to him, but the coach was already moving and too far away for the dark-haired man to hear him.

"I should invite them back to the castle." Sion said absentmindedly. Immediately he realized his mistake. Sir Williams stopped pacing again and turned slowly to face the prince.

"I take it Your majesty wasn't listening?" he grumbled. Sion smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"How, pray tell, would inviting the intruders back to the castle solve our problem?" Sir Williams inquired an exasperated look on his face.

"If we can invite them to the castle then you can meet them yourself and see if they are or are not assassins." Sion said quickly. Sir Williams paused thoughtfully, and Sion helped his breath. If Sir Williams agreed it would make it easier to find out more about the two of them.

"We'll have to find them first." Sir Williams finally said. "You don't know the girl's name and I doubt "Nezumi" is still going by that alias." Sion frowned at his comment. It was true that he had not asked the young woman her name. He had just been trying to survive the ball and didn't think that they would need to meet again. How could he find them if he didn't know their names? He couldn't wander around his kingdom looking for them and he couldn't just ask around if anyone knew a "Nezumi". People would think he was crazy.

To avoid Sir William's piercing gaze, and give him time to think up an answer, Sion looked around the room. As he glanced around his eyes fell on the shoe the young woman left. It was currently resting on a cushion in the middle of the table. Perhaps he could use it? Then again it would be easy for people to lie and say it belonged to them, unless….

"We'll use the shoe!" Sion finally proclaimed.

"The shoe?" Sir Williams said turning to look at it. "How will that help find the woman or her footman?"

"It's her shoe." Sion said. "So, it should be able to fit her."

"Along with half of the kingdom!" Sir Williams snorted.

"The young woman told me that her dress was made by a fairy. If it was a fairy, then the shoe should only fit its owner." Sion reasoned. "That's how magic of that kind works." Sir Williams opened him mouth then closed it again, a resign look on his face.

"You know more about magic then I do." He said reluctantly. "Very well in that case I will send men out to search for our missing assassins."

"Thank you." Sion said smiling.

"Just be warned." Sr. Williams said seriously, "Fitting the shoe on every woman in our kingdom will take quite a while."

"I understand "Sion said nodding. Sir Williams bowed and left the room. Sion sat back in his chair his eyes closed grateful for the silence. It would be wonderful to see the two of them again. The young woman was so excited when she was in the castle. Perhaps she would like a tour. He could show her his library. Sion had never invited a friend to his library. Truthfully no one other than the maids and himself ever entered his library. The only other person to visit there was Nezumi and he didn't count as a friend or a servant or even a subject. If Sion really thought about it, he didn't know where to place Nezumi. All Sion knew was he wanted to see the strange dark-haired man again.

"He would probably enjoy spending more time in the library..." Sion muttered to himself a smiling lighting up his face. He could picture the scene in his head.

The young woman would gasp with joy at seeing the library and all its books. She would scurry from bookcase to bookcase checking out the different titles. While she did that Nezumi would quietly enter behind her. He would ignore her excitement and make a beeline for the classical section. He would put one slender finger on the book titles and quickly pick one out. Then he would sit where he was and began reading; probably attempting to drown out the word around him.

"I wonder if he would read another Shakespeare play?" Sion said to himself. "Or perhaps another classic? How many of those do I have anyways?" After a moment thought he decided the best thing to do would be to check. If he didn't have enough, he would buy more. He wanted Nezumi to have plenty to read when he next returned. Sion hopped up from his seat and headed towards his library. He had a lot to do before his guests arrived.

….

"Um excuse me" Cinderella's quiet voice called timidly from under the window. "Mr. Rat are you there?" Nezumi turned the page in his book and ignored the woman's calls. It had been about two weeks since the ball and Nezumi was finally starting to get used to human life.

He had made himself comfortable in Cinderella's father's old library. The library was not as big or grand as Sion's. The dusty bookcase only had worn out books filled with faded pictures. A lot of them were missing a page or two which made reading them unbearable. The whole place smelled like dust and mold. The carpet, which looked like it was once a pale blue, had turned a nasty dirty grey. There was only one door that led into the library and it locked. The only way in and out was through the window. If Nezumi wasn't a rat, he would have hated it. As it stood, it was probably as nice as his rat hole.

A small part of Nezumi still wished for Sion's grand library, with books covered with gold lined covers and vibrant pictures. He wanted to snuggle down there and read another classic surrounded by the peaceful smell of paper and ink. Another part of Nezumi, although he would never admit it out loud, missed the white-haired prince and his chattering ways. Nezumi kept finding himself thinking of different books to recommend to Sion before reminding himself that he probably will never see the prince again.

"Oh, Mr. Rat!" Cinderella called out louder. Nezumi sighed and shut the book. Apparently, she didn't want to leave, and it would be only a matter of time until someone noticed her shouting at a supposedly abandoned library.

"It seems like you're done pretending I don't exist." Nezumi scoffed as he came and sat on the windowsill, book still in hand. "I feel flattered." At the dryness in his voice the woman scowled.

"What do you want?" Nezumi asked in a board tone. The woman suddenly looked very nervous. She shifted around a few seconds before speaking

"I've been hearing a rumor around town. Someone has been stealing produce from the stalls."

"And?" Nezumi said uninterestedly. The woman squirmed uncomfortably. It was clear that she was trying to accuse him of stealing but was too timid to do so. He wondered how long it would take her to actually come out and blame him.

"I just….was wondering if you…saw anyone steal…" she trailed off. Nezumi looked down at her his eyebrows raised. This was too easy.

"No, I haven't," he said and went back to reading his book. There was a startled pause then,

"Oh…." The woman sounded very lost. "Um…Mr. rat…. have you…. I mean…"

"If you have something to say, just say it." Nezumi told her as he turned a page. When he glanced down the woman, her face had turned a dark red and she was shuffling her feet around nervously.

"I…have you…I mean…have you stolen anything?" she finally said lamely.

"I have to eat, don't I?" Nezumi said simply. He heard the woman gasp, scandalized.

"That's awful!" she cried. "how could you?"

"How could I what?" he asked closing his book and turning to glare at her. "Eat? How do you expect me to get food?

"Get a job!" she cried, "Earn some money!" He stared at her incredulously.

"Of all people, you should know how hard it is to get a job with no one to vouches for you." He said exasperated. "Or are you forgetting that you're still here with your horrible stepfamily instead of working as a midwife or something."

"At least I don't steal!" she said superiority.

"Oh?" Nezumi said his voice dangerously quiet. He jumped down from the ledge and landed softly before her. The woman took a hurried step back. "This is why rats are better than humans. You hold your own twisted sense of morality over your own survival. If you want me not to steel, then get me food from the house like you did when I was a rat."

"That's different." She scoffed not meeting his eye. "The rats are my friends. You are a horrible person!"

"Friends?" Nezumi laughed. "Only someone like you would believe that the rodents in your walls, that come out when you feed them, actually care at all for you." Cinderella's face turned a deeper shade of red.

"I-if you don't stop, I will turn you in." she finally said. Nezumi gave a small growl. The woman squeaked and scurried back into the house. Nezumi watched her go his eyes narrowed. If Cinderella was anything, she was true to her word. In her own warped sense of justice, she would turn him in. Nezumi sighed and put the book into his pocket. He wasn't going to get anywhere with it right now. With one last glare he turned and started down the path towards the village.


	3. Chapter 3

Nezumi strolled through the town. He did not want to be doing this. He hated that he had to succumb to Cinderella's blackmail to find to find a job. Nezumi knew however that, as a human, he didn't have the power to fight her on this. The law was on her side. Still things were frustrating. He had tried a variety of different stores but all of them had turned him down. None of the store managers recognize him and they were suspicious when he couldn't name a single person who would recommend him. It was now getting late in the afternoon and the sun hung high in the sky. Nezumi was hot and hungry.

"This is getting me nowhere." The dark-haired man grumbled. He glanced around and spotted a man selling cooked chicken on the side of the road. Blending into the crowd, Nezumi slipped over and snatched one up. Then he slid into the crowd again and walked casually away. No one called after him. No one even noticed that he was there. Steeling had always been easy for Nezumi. Humans didn't notice anything unless you made a show of it. Nezumi turned a corner into an alley way and slid down into a crouch before biting into the chick. The savory taste of meat filled up his mouth and he closed his eyes content. Sadly, it was gone before to long and his stomach was still rumbling. Human bodies were to big and needed to much fuel to run. If he was still a rat that chicken could satisfy him for the day. Nezumi grumbled before straightening up again. There was no use continuing job searching. He needed to go back to the library and plan his next move. If directly asking people for jobs didn't work maybe there was another way to get one. Nezumi knew he had to do more research on humans before he could try again. The dark haired man sighed and began walking down the ally.

.

' _Tis but thy name that is my enemy._

 _Thou art thyself, though not a Montague._

 _What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,_

 _Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part_

 _Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!_

 _What's in a name? That which we call a rose_

 _By any other name would smell as sweet._

 _._

The dark-haired man paused as a woman's voice wafted over him from a building across the ally. He recognized the line from the book Romeo and Juliet. It was one of Juliet's lines spoken at the balcony. Of all the books Nezumi had read, it was this one that had a special place for him. It was after all the first book he ever read, that was why he liked it. It had nothing to do with the fact that Sion gave it to him as a gift.

Shaking his head Nezumi turned to survey the building. There was a side door propped open slightly. From the alleyway there was no signs to indicate what kind of building it was. Nezumi hesitated but curiosity got the better of him. Other than him and Sion, Nezumi didn't know anyone else who read Shakespeare. It made him curious to why someone was reading it out loud. Cautiously Nezumi approached the door and slipped in. It took only a second for his eyes to adjust to the dark room. He found himself in a large theater. He remembered seeing a sign for the theater while walking down the street earlier, but he didn't pay attention at the time. The theater had three sections of red velvet covered chairs. To the back of the theater there was a balcony with even more seating. The seats were empty at the moment except for a handful of people sitting in the front row. The majority of them were young women ranging from ages 14 to 20. There were also a few young slender men there as well. Sitting slightly to the side of them was an middle age balding man. He had a paper and quill and was scribbling something down. The people sat facing the large wooden stage where a single woman stood in the middle. Above her a candle was lit under a glass causing a circle of light to illuminate the young woman. At this moment the woman on the stage was not speak. She stood there looking expectedly down at the older man. Without looking up from his paper he waved a hand and yelled.

"Next!"

The woman's face fell, and she trotted gloomily off the stage and out of the theater. After she left another woman stood up and climbed onto the stage.

 _'Tis but thy name that is my enemy._

 _Thou art thyself, though not a-._

"Next!" the man shouted again. This woman glowered at him before stomping off. He nixed the next two before they were able to finish the lines as well. Then came the third and the fourth who were better than the first two but still not great. Nezumi watched as another person hopped on the stage. He wondered what was going on. He knew what a theater was and its purpose, but this didn't seem like a performance.

The fairy godmother's spell was still in place and still gave him basic information about the human world. As time moved forward however it gave him less and less help and as Nezumi learned about the world. Although the spell helped for basic thing, it did not give him information that it felt he did not need to know. This apparently was one of those things.

"Next." The man yelled again. And one of the young men sulked off the stage. The last remaining woman climbed up and peered confidently down at the man. She began to speak the lines. The man listened attentively let her finish the whole line. After she finished he scribed something down on the paper before calling out,

"Next!"

The women's eyes narrowed.

"I did that line perfectly!" she snapped stomping her foot. "There's no way anyone else did it better."

"You're the best so far." The man acknowledges. "But that's still not good enough. This is art woman! We strive for perfection here." The woman eyes burned with anger.

"You're too choosy!" she cried "I'm the last person here! You have to pick someone!" The man looked around in surprise.

"So, you are" he muttered a little disappointingly. "I suppose I'll have to hold more additions tomorrow…." His continued to scan around the room until his eyes landed on Nezumi. "Ahh it looks like we have one more person." Nezumi took a hasty step back. He wasn't sure what was going on and he didn't want to be roped into something unpleasant.

"Well hurry up boy!" the man said impatiently. Nezumi opened his mouth to reject the offer but before he could, the other woman laughed nastily.

"Him?! Please, there's no way he can do better than me." Nezumi shut his mouth with an audible snap, his eyes narrowing.

"Alright." He said softly a cold smile crossing his face. The woman smirked and crossed her arms as he matched confidently down the middle isle and onto the stage. As he approached, the woman shot him one last amused look before leaving the stage and sitting in the front row. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew he could say those lines better than that woman. He walked under the beam of light in the middle of the stage and turned to face the man.

' _Tis but thy name that is my enemy._

 _Thou art thyself, though not a Montague_.

He poured all his feeling into the words. He would do Juliet justice. He would show the woman and man before him just how powerful the young woman's words could be. He spoke as if he was Juliet, confused and conflicted. He spoke as if he wasn't himself.

 _What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,_

 _Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part_

The words flooded out of him like water. Nezumi was surprised how pleasant it sounded. Shakespeare apparently sounded much better spoken then read. He wondered how it would sound if he spoke the whole play. A sudden realization hit him. Wasn't that what theater were for? He didn't realize that they acted out books. If he knew he could see all his favorite books in motion, he would have come here sooner.

 _Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!_

 _What's in a name? That which we call a rose_

 _By any other name would smell as sweet._

Nezumi finished and a satisfied silence filled the theater. He let out a quite breath and looked down at the woman. She stared back at him her face frozen in shock. A victorious smirk crossed the dark-haired man's face at her reaction. Did she really believe she could read those lines better than him? Nezumi stared down at her from his place on the stage. He felt more alive and exulcerated standing there under the light. Suddenly the sound of clapping pulled Nezumi back to reality and he looked up sharply. The man in the front seat had jumped to his feet clapping wildly.

"Beautiful! Amazing! Magnificence! Bravo! I have never seen such talent!" The man's roared enthusiastically. "What's your name son?"

"Nezumi"

"Nezumi?!" the man looked shocked for a second before tittering unhappily "That won't do!" He heads vigorously, eyes full of disappointment. "With your talent you need a name that shines. You want to draw people in not push them away. We can't have a rat in the theater. We need a star!" He eyed Nezumi thoughtfully. Nezumi held his gaze. He was not going to let the man, or the woman, see how confused he was. Why did he want to draw people in? That was the last thing he wanted to do.

"How about Eve?"

"What?"

"Eve! It'll be your stage name!" the man said his eyes shining "I can see it now! Romeo and Juliet staring Eve! You'll be the mother of all actors! What do you say!" Nezumi stared at the man's broad smile, frustration rising in his chest. What did this man want with him? He didn't understand humans at all. They were startling loud creatures who said the weirdest things.

Stage name-a name actors and actresses have when they are on the stage.

The fairly godmother's voice suddenly filled him and Nezumi almost snorted. The fairy's magic chose now to jump in. As he mulled over the fairy's words however, he suddenly understood. The man wanted him to be an actor. The very thought was amusing. Him an actor? What kind of nonsense what that? What good would acting do for him? He wanted to avoided human not be the center of attention. He was a rat not an Eve whatever that was.

"If you don't stop stealing, I will turn you in."

Cinderella's warning rang through Nezumi's head and he pressed his lips together. He didn't have a choice. He needed money and this was the only place offering him a job.

"Fine." He said shortly. The man clapped his hands eyes glistening with tears.

"Excellent! Wonderful! This is going to be amazing!" Nezumi sighed and looked around the stage. If he was being honest with himself standing on the stage wasn't half bad. At least there was an invisible wall between him and the people watching. They would leave him alone as long as he performed. Perhaps he could make this work.

...

"You're an actor?!"

Cinderella's voice rang through the library. Nezumi glanced up from the book he was reading. He wondered if he could continue ignoring her. Cinderella had been yelling at his window all morning. Nezumi had learned to tuned her out. It had been a month since he started at the theater and earlier this week, he had his first performance. He had kept his job a secret from Cinderella since he didn't want to admit he listened to her. He was glad that he did. Apparently, she had an issue with acting judging by her angry tone.

"Hey!" She yelled again. "I know your up there!" He continued to ignore her. He used to be stuck at her beck and call every time she yelled at his window for fear her stepfamily would learn of his presence. Now however he had the power to tune her out. Ever since his first paycheck rolled in and realized just how much money he was making, he stopped worrying about the stepfamily. He had enough money to buy a house if he needed to. The only reason he stayed in the library was because did he didn't feel like waste extra time doing unnecessary things such as finding a new house. Nezumi liked the library and he was still hanging on to the faint hope that he would one day be able to return to being a rat.

"That's it, I'm coming up" Nezumi looked up and in surprise. That was knew. She never attempted to climb into the library before. He felt half curious and half annoyed. He wondered how such a clumsy girl was going to get up. At the same time, he didn't like the idea of her breaking into his personal space. The dark-haired an heard a scuffling sound followed by a cry of shock and then a thud. Nezumi sniggered and closed his book. Forget annoyance this was something he wanted to see. The dark-haired man went over to the window and watched Cinderella pull herself to her feet. She dusted herself off and glared at the window before trying again. Her second and third attempt ended the same way. On the fourth time she got stuck halfway up and hung uselessly for a few seconds before jumping down. The fifth she made it to the window but grabbed a rotten piece of wood that broke, sending her plummeting to the ground. Finally, on the six attempt she managed to grab the windowsill and drag herself in. The young woman fell into the library and lay there panting. She looked extremely disheveled with her hair everywhere and mud crusting her dress and face. Her hands were all scrapped and bruised. Nezumi watched her for a few seconds before saying,

"Yes? What is it?" The woman sat up looking surprised at his willingness to listen. Nezumi rolled his eyes. If she was going to climb all the way up into the room, he might as well hear her out. Cinderella's surprise turned to annoyance and she glared at him

"You can't be an actor!" Nezumi kept his face neutral while his mind whirled in confusion. Of everything he though she would say that wasn't one of them.

"Why?"

"Because it's not right! People are going to recognize you and if they see you come here…what'll I do if my stepsisters learn you're here?!" Nezumi tuned her out. Why did she feel the need to worry about every little thing? Seriously did she think he was planning bring people here. He made sure no one knew where he lived. She of all people should know he didn't like humans.

"Are you done?" Nezumi said dryly when she stopped to catch her breath. He was starting to greatly regret listening to her in the first place. Why didn't he just continue to ignore her and go back to his book? Cinderella stared at him huffily before stomping her foot.

"This needs to stop."

"You're the one who wanted me to get a job."

"yes but….." she puffed out her cheeks in aggravation. "Why must it be this job?"

"Because." Nezumi said simply.

"Well you can't! You're making my life hard! Someone's going to notice…" Nezumi tuned her out again. Truthfully, he was actually enjoying acting much more then he orientally thought he would. After his first performance the crowd went wild. It pleased him how easy humans were manipulated into cheering for him. The stage was like another world. Everyone knew their part and what they needed to do. All he needed to do was to act and they would follow. Acting out the part of Juliet was exhilarating. The only downside to acting was the fans. He learned the hard way how dangerous they were. After his first performance he made the mistake of trying to leave trough the actor's entrance. The second he stepped out into the main part of the theater throngs of admires rushed him. They were all screaming and trying to get close to him. Many wanted him to write his name on paper. Other's wanted to touch his hair or another part of him. After that fiasco, every time he had a performance, he snuck out the back.

"And furthermore what's going to happen if they start asking questions? I don't want people to connect me with you!" Nezumi snapped back to realty and found to his dismay that Cinderella was still talking.

"Shouldn't you be preparing or something?!" Nezumi finally interrupted. "Isn't the prince sending his men to have every girl try on a 'magical shoe' or something?" He hoped the mention of the prince would distract her. To his relief her eyes lit up.

"Yes! They'll arrive in this town tomorrow!"

"Took them long enough." Nezumi snorted. "We're not that far from the capital."

"They wanted to go to the main cities first. They probably thought the woman they're looking for would most likely be there." Her voice became low. "I think the shoe is mine!" she giggled. "I doubt anyone else had a fairy made outfit for the ball."

"And you're telling me because?"

"Because I want to tell someone." She wined crossing her arms. "I had this wonderful evening and now the prince is coming for me and I have to keep in a secret!"

"Oh, sorry to hear that." Nezumi said attempting boredom. He had brought the prince up to get her off his case, but now he was regretted it. It reminded him how annoying tomorrow would be. With the prince's servants tromping around town causing an uproar, the theaters would be less pack during his performance. The less people the more it impacted his paycheck. Although Nezumi didn't care much for the money he still enjoyed using it to buy new books. He didn't want to have to ration books because people decided to try on a stupid shoe.

"I heard a rumor" Cinderella said giddily. "That he's going to ask whoever fits the shoe to marry him." Nezumi's mood soured even more.

"Good for him." Nezumi snapped. "Can you go now?" Cinderella blinked a few times.

"Fine." She said sulkily. "Bu this isn't over! I haven't given up this conversation. I just have work to do"

"Sure." Nezumi waved her off as he picked up his book again. "Have a nice day." She gave one louder huff before stomping to the window. She climbed through it and instantly fell with a shirk. Nezumi heard her hit the ground. A few seconds later he saw her staggered away towards the house. The image would have amused him if he wasn't in such a bad mood. Tomorrow night was his last performance. If Sion's men could have waited one more night, he would have gotten another full house.

"Also, there's a chance Sion will be with them and then I could meet up with him again and go to his library." A quiet voice pointed out. Nezumi shoved it down. Yes, he still wanted to go to Sion's library and yes, he had been collecting books to force the prince to read (no more suggesting the fact that Sion didn't read classics was in insult to him) It wasn't for that reason, that Nezumi was feeling down. No, he was merely just looking out for himself, pure and simple. If there was one things rat were not it, was complicated. He hated when things became complicated.

...

"It fits!" Sir William's exclaimed surprise on his face.

"It fits?!" the stepsister shirked

"It fits?!" The stepmother cried in horror.

"It fits." Cinderella breathed, her excitement rising. This was it! She was going to go to the castle and meet her prince charming again.

"We must leave at once!" Sir William's said sanding up. Then he paused. "May I also see all the men who work here?" Cinderella's stepmother looked confused but called up the staff. Cinderella watched puzzled as men entered the room. Once they were all there, Sir Williams turned to her.

"Young lady did any of these men accompany you to the ball that night?"

"No." Cinderella said wondering what was going on. Apparently, it wasn't very important because Sir Williams nodded and with one last,

"Very well." clapped his hands. The guards began leaving the room. Sir Williams offered Cinderella his hand.

"Shall we my lady?" Cinderella hesitated, wondering if she should go with them or first tell the rat that she was leaving. She felt it was rude to leave without a final farewell. Perhaps she should go to the theater and see him…. The young woman shook her head and firmly took the knights hand. The rat was off playing 'Eve" at the theater tonight. It's not like he wanted or needed her help. He's probably be happy that she was gone. Well good for him. He could live in her father's dingy library reading books until his eyes fell out for all she cared. She on the other hand would go to the castle and marry the prince. Nothing was going to stop her.


	4. Chapter 4

"Presenting Lady Cinderella!"

Sion looked up from his book on different heraldic plants of the world, to see the young woman who he met in the ball enter his study. She stepped into the room, looking around in wonder. Then her eyes found Sion's. A second pause and the two of them broke into fits of laughter. There was something funny about this second meeting. Neither of them thought they would ever be able to see each other again. After a minute they were able to calm down.

"Prince Sion." The young woman said curtsy, a smile pulling on her lips. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

"Lady Cinderella." Sion said bowing as he tried to hold back his laughter. "It's so charming of you to drop by and visit. I do hope you have been enjoying your say" She beamed back at him.

"Oh, it's been pleasant." She said formally. "But one of the knights questioned me before letting me see you." Her smile faded slightly. "I thought I was in trouble."

"Ash," Sion said sadly. "Sorry about that. That was my knight Sir Williams. He thought you might be an assassin."

"Oh dear."

"But it's all good now! If he let you in it must mean he approves. Anyways," Sion threw away all formalities. "How have you been?" Sion said

"Oh, good thank you." She said copying his casual tone. Sion paused before frowning.

"No, I'm doing this wrong. The first question I should ask is 'What's you name.'" he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "I seem to have forget to ask it at the ball."

"Cinderella." She said softly. He smiled.

"It's nice to meet you Cinderella. Please tell me more about yourself." Cinderella nodded and took the seat next to Sion. Then she launched into her story. She told him of her dead mother and her father remarried. She explained how cruel her stepsisters were and how they treated her. Sion was shocked and horrified. He didn't know she was in such a predicament. He felt bad that he didn't ask her name during the ball. He would have been able to find her sooner. He finally made a friend his age and he already managed to fail at their friendship.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that." He said gloomily.

"It's alright!" she said cheerfully. "I always had the mice and rats as friends." When Sion continue to look solemn, she quickly added "Besides it's not all bad. Thanks to my hard work, my fairy godmother was sent to helped me go to the ball. If I didn't go, I would never have met you."

"True." Sion smiled softly "Your fairy godmother was the one who made you that magical dress and shoes."

"Yeah." Cinderella giggled. "She also made the coach…" The young woman's face darkened as if she remembered something unpleasant "Among other things…." She looked so forlorn that Sion thought it was best to change the subject.

"That night at the ball." he said. "I met your footman." Cinderella looked confused for a second before her eyes widened in shock.

"What?" she gasped surprised. "Where..." She petered off as thought dawned on her and she frowned "Of course that's where he got the book." She looked anxiously at Sion. "I'm so sorry did he steel that book from you?"

"Oh no!" Sion waved his hands quickly. "I gave him that book." Cinderella's face relaxed and she gave a sigh of relief. Sion's heart pounding. He had found the mysterious girl at the ball, now he was about to learn about more about the mysterious footman.

"So how do you know Nezumi?" Sion asked, barely containing his excitement. "If a fairy made your dress and shoes, I doubt you have a footman already available at your house. Is he a friend of yours?"

"He _was_ a friend." The young woman said sulkily. "But that was before the ball. Now he lives in my father's library and tries to ignore me all day."

"He lives in your father's library?" Sion asked amused.

"Yeah," Cinderella rolled her eyes. "All he does is read."

"He really does loves books, doesn't he?" Sion laughed.

"Indeed, he spends so much time reading that trying to talk to him is impossible." Cinderella grumbled. "I had some important things we need to talk about today, but he was so cold that I couldn't say them."

"Yep, that sounds just like him." Sion said fondly.

"Where did you meet him? I mean I didn't see him wandering around the ballroom." Cinderella asked curiously. Sion launched into the story of how Nezumi and him met in the garden. He told her about their conversation and how he brought him to his private library. At mention of the library Cinderella's eyes lit up.

"I would love to see your library." she gasped "It sounds amazing." Sion hesitated, his smile faltering. Although he wanted to show her the library, he wanted Nezumi to be there as well.

"Maybe later." He finally said lamely. An awkward silence filled the room. Sion glanced around. "So, where's Nezumi? I thought he would be with you." If he was living in Cinderella's father's library then he should have come with her to see him. He had asked Sir William to make sure that Nezumi was with Cinderella.

"He's busy with his performance." Cinderella said off handedly. Sion eyes widened.

"Ah, so he is an actor!"

"Yes." Ciderella said with a sigh. "Have you heard of the up and coming actor 'Eve?"

"Nezumi's Eve?! Sion gasped. He wasn't usually interested in theater, but even he heard about the mysterious Eve. The young man had appeared on the acting field only a little while ago, yet they say he was a natural. His manager had invited many critics and nobles to watch him rehearse. All who had watched him swore that he was the next big thing. Sir Willman always wanted Sion to go see a performance, but the prince always found an excuse not to go. Now however…

"We should go see his performance!" Sion exclaimed. Cinderella hesitated.

"Today was the last one" she said slowly "It started a couple of hours ago…It would be over by now."

"I see." Sion said sounded dejected. Cinderella quickly continued.

"I did hear rumors that there's a midnight show. But it's a small showing. Our local lord, Lord Borin, always books a special time for him and his men to watch plays without being surrounded by peasants. I think that was tonight."

"Then there might be hope!" Sion's eyes sparkled. He quickly turned to one of his guards

"Send a horseman as fast as possible to Lord Borin's and see if it he would let us join him at the theater tonight."

"You really want to go." Cinderella said surprised as the guard left. "I've always heard that you didn't have any interest in plays."

"This is different" Sion said waving a hand. "We know one of the actors."

"I suppose so." Cinderella said softly. Sion wasn't listening. His mind was already jumping ahead to that night's performance. He was going to see Nezumi again. The mysterious dark-haired man who showed up at the ball. Sion had been having dreams about his ever since they met. He had thought that perhaps, after he learned more about him, he would seem less mysterious. The prince found that he was completely wrong in that assessment. Now that Cinderella told him where Nezumi lived he had more questions than before. Why was Nezumi living in Cinderella's father's library? Where was his home? Where did he come from? How did he know Cinderella? If 'Eve' was his stage name, then why did he go by Nezumi? What was his real name?

Sion pushed down his growing excitement. Once the play was over, he would bring Nezumi back with him to the castle. Then the three of them could hang in the library and catch up.

This was going to be a great evening.

.

.

.

"Nezumi!" The dark-haired man looked up from his mirror as the manager came bursting into his changing room. The older man took one step into the room and automatically tripped over a stack of books. He fell over onto another stack, causing the whole pile to fall on him.

"You're going to have to pick those up." Nezumi said calmly going back to his mirror. He opened up his make-up kit and started applying foundation. His manager swore and started stacking books again.

"Why do you need these blasted things in your changing room?"

"To read." Nezumi said rubbing blush into his cheeks. "Rehearsal is so short for me, but you want me to stay while everyone else does their part."

"Yes, well not everyone can be perfect." The manager snapped as he finished stacking the books.

"So, what is it? You don't usually burst into my changing room." Nezumi asked as he started putting on eye shadow. "Did you really only come here to complain about my books."

"No, no," the manger waved a hand. "Of course, it's not that. You can have whatever you want in your changing rooms." Nezumi hummed as he finished up his eyes. After checking himself out in the mirror he reached for his lipstick.

"So what is it then? We have a performance in a half an hour and I'm kind of busy." Nezumi finished putting on lipstick and made a kissy face in the mirror. "Someone" he shot the manger a look, "decides to not tell me that we had an extra performance." The manger spluttered but Nezumi ignored him

This last performance was for a noble man and some of his guest. Nezumi hadn't even known there was an extra performance until the manger had dropped it on him after the last show. Nezumi was not happy about it. Everyone was busy rushing around, touching up props and costumes, or practicing their lines. Since this guy was 'nobility' there was an idea that they have to be at their best. This wasn't the first time nobility booked a private showing this week, though usually the manger gave a heads up beforehand. Usually these private shows caused a lot of excitement and stress among the actors. It didn't bother Nezumi though. He didn't perform better or worse during private performances then day ones. The dark-haired man didn't really understand the whole idea of' nobility'. He felt that acting at his best for such a small crowd was a waste of time. Humans were humans after all. Besides even when he half-assed it, the nobles always told him he did amazing. Humans really were too easy to please.

"Were you listening?" the manger yelled. Nezumi glanced up. Apparently, the older man had been talking all this time. After a couple of days rehearsing Nezumi quickly learned that his manger had nothing important to say and started tuning him out every time he spoke. The dark-haired man closed the makeup container with an audible snap and reached for his brush.

"No." he said shortly. The man sighed warily, rubbing his temple.

"I'm just saying we need to be at our best to night."

"Of course, there's a 'noble coming." Nezumi finished brushing his long-haired wig and surveyed his reflection. He looked acceptable, so there was no reason for his manager to complain.

"That's not it! The prince is coming to this showing!" The man puffed his chest out pridefully. "I knew that you were a catch, but I never realized it would get our own prince to come." That got Nezumi's attention. He spun around on the bench to started in surprise at the manger. The manger observed his expression, frowning.

"What's with that look boy? Don't you realize what I'm saying?! The prince is coming."

"Yeah I hear." Nezumi muttered as he tried to prosses the information. The manager gasped in shock. Nezumi looked back at him warily. For some reason the manger was looking at him like he was crazy.

"Have you lived under a rock all your life? The prince!" he gestured with both of his hands "You know Prince Sion! The prince who never had any interest in theater before! The only Prince who personally asked not to have a play preformed on his birthday?" That got Nezumi's attention. Sion had never been to a theater before? The dark-haired man felt annoyance crept up his chest.

"I swear you're a strange one." The manger sighed. "Well it doesn't matter, just do you best!" And with that the man spun on his heals and left the room, closing the door behind him. Nezumi sat there in the silent room, possessing what he learned. He knew that Sion was strange. After reading most of the books in Cinderella's father's library Nezumi had to admit humans wrote amazing stories. To think that Sion barley read any of them was just shameful. But to think that Sion hadn't even been to theater before? Now that truly annoyed him. Sion was human. He should enjoy the one thing humans got right. Did he had no dignity?

Nezumi clenched his fists and forced himself to calm down. He could work with this. The dark-haired man would show Sion how amazing theater was. He would teach the uncultured prince what true art looked like. After tonight Sion better understand what he was missing. Nezumi turning again to his mirror. His make up was on wrong. Although it was acceptable the general population of humans it would not do for Sion. Nezumi wanted to show the extent of the art of acting. Sion may have read Romeo and Juliet, since he had it in his library, but now he needed to see what the story looked like when it came to life. This performance had to be perfect. He would make sure this would be a night that Sion would remember for the rest of his life. Nezumi bit his lip thoughtfully. Perhaps he could even coerce Sion into reading more. A smiled spread across the dark eyed man's face.

This was going to be a great evening.

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The small crowed of nobles were clamping energetically. Sion, who was sitting between Lord Borin and Cinderella, jumped to his feet when the actors came onto the stage to bow. Next to him he could here Cinderella crying softly. Sion knew he also had tears dripping down his face but didn't bother to wipe them away. The performance was amazing. Sion had forgotten to breathe through most of it. Was Romeo and Juliet always that powerful? He didn't remember the story having that much of an impact when he read it years ago. Part of Sion thought that maybe it was just because Nezumi played Juliet. He knew that if he was Romeo, he'd drop everything and runaway with Nezumi/Juliet. He doubted there was a single person in the whole theater who didn't want Nezumi to be their Juliet.

"That was amazing." Cinderella said. Sion nodded in agreement as he sat back down again. The actors had left the stage and the audience were starting to stir.

"This was my first time seeing a play." Sion said. "I never expected it to be this impactful."

"Nether did I." Cinderella said wiping any remain tear from her face. Sion copied her and then smiled.

"Well, shall we go find Nezumi and congratulate him." Sion said. Cinderella hesitated then agreed.

"I suppose we should." Sion beamed as he stood up and helped her to her feet.

"Are you leaving so soon you highness?" Lord Borin asked surprised.

"I was going to pay complements to the actor of Juliet." Sion said. Lord Borin's eyes sparkled.

"Ah yes, that young man was something else…." Sion and Cinderella bayed him good night before heading down towards the stage. Although there were many people mulling around Sion had no problem navigating. Everyone steps aside when they saw him coming. Finally, the found themselves in front of the theater entrance.

"Should we wait out here?" Cinderella asked nervously. Sion blinked surprise. The thought that maybe they shouldn't rush backstage was one that never crossed his mind. As a prince there wasn't many places, he wasn't allowed to roam freely in. He felt almost embarrassed at his actions.

"Ah yeah, perhaps we should." He muttered. As much as he wanted to see Nezumi, it felt rude to barge in his private changing room. He had a feeling that prince or not Nezumi wouldn't take his actions kindly.

"Ah Prince Sion, I hope you enjoyed the show tonight." Sion turned to see the director standing a few feet away, head dipped in a bow.

"It was wonderful" Sion gushed. "The actors were amazing." The man beamed.

"Of course." He said proudly. "Our actors are the best, especially Eve."

"I was hoping to talk to Eve." Sion said. The man hesitated.

"I-I'll go check on him." The man muttered. "Eve can be…difficult sometimes…I'll make sure he treats you with the best of respects."

"Don't worry about that!" Sion said cheerfully. "I know how he is." The director visibly relaxed.

"Are you looking for Eve?" a soft voice asked. Sion turned to see the woman who played Juliet's nurse wringing her hands nervously, "I saw him take off only minutes ago…." The director's face fell in horror.

"He what?! Surely, he knew the prince was here?! I thought I told him to stay." He turned back to Sion, bowing nervously. "I'm so sorry my league." Sion spirits fell.

"Oh" he muttered softly. Did Nezumi not want to see him? It wasn't like he couldn't have known he was there. He had thought they got along at the library. Maybe Sion had just imagined that. He knew he could be overbearing sometimes. Perhaps Nezumi hated him. The thought made Sion sink into a depression.

"Prince Sion?" The white-haired man looked up to see the actor who played Romeo standing nearby. In his hands there was a stack of books. When he saw that he had Sion's attention he bowed. "Your majesty. I was asked to give these to you."

He handed Sion the books. The prince grunted a little as the full weight of the books rested in his arm. After a quick count he found there were twenty books in total. Sion couldn't for the life of him think of why someone wanted him to have all of them.

"Robert!" The director exclaimed. "What's all this? You can't just hand the prince books!"

"Sorry sir." The man squeaked. "Eve asked me to give it to the prince along with this note." He held up a small note.

"That man!" the director roared before turning to Sion. "I am so sorry my lord!"

"It's fine." Sion said placing the books on the ground. "May I see the note?" The young man nodded shakily and handed the small letter to Sion. The prince opened it and saw a few slanted words form a single sentence.

 _Finish reading all of these, then we'll talk. -Nezumi_

Sion repeated the message out loud. The manger groaned and rubbed his temple. The two actors slowly backed off looking fearful. Cinderella gasped.

"The nerve of him!" Cinderella exclaimed. "He should know better than this!"

"I'm so sorry about him!" stammered the director. "I'll deal with him when he returns. To treat a prince that way!" Sion raised a hand for silence.

"It's alright." He turned to Cinderella. "We should be going back to the castle." He turned ones more to the director and bowed. "Thank you for the show tonight." After that he rushed out of the theater, Cinderella following him.

Sion's heart was hammering. Nezumi didn't hate him. He just wanted Sion to read more. Of course, he did, this was Nezumi. He probably took it as a personal insult how little Sion read. The prince hopped into the waiting coach and impatiently tapped his foot. He was anxious to get back. Twenty books were quite a lot to read and Sion wanted to meet Nezumi as soon as possible.


	5. Chapter 5

"Why did you ignore the prince?!" Cinderella demanded. Nezumi looked up from the book he was reading. He was mildly surprised to see her there. Wasn't she living in the palace now?

"Why are you here?" he asked. "Didn't you move to the castle? Shouldn't you be in the castle right now planning your wedding?" The thought of a wedding left a sour taste in Nezumi's mouth. He didn't know why it bothered him so much.

"No." Cinderella sighed her shoulders sagging. "He sent me back home. But he did say I could visit him." She perked up a little. For some reason the sour taste in Nezumi's mouth disappeared. Before he had time to complement it's meaning Cinderella stomped her foot and continued. "But that's not the point! You disappeared and left a note!" She put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

"I merely encouraged him to read more." Nezumi raised an eyebrow. "Surely that shouldn't be hard for him."

"Prince Sion is very busy." Cinderella said sternly

"Of course, he his." Nezumi said waving a dismissive hand. Cinderella continued to glare. Nezumi sighed wearily. He had a long night and was tired. He was trying to wind down before going to bed. Why did she chose now to bothering him? It was three in the morning. He did not want to deal with her ranting at him. He decided to change the topic.

"Aren't you concerned about your stepfamily?" he said. "They aren't going to be happy that you snuck to the ball and danced with the prince.

"Prince Sion told my stepfamily that if they mistreat me, he'll hold them accountable." Cinderella said her face brightening "He's so amazing. Not only is he kind but he's also handsome. I was nervous when I went to see him again, but he was so relaxed that I…" As Cinderella gushed on Nezumi felt a headache form. He didn't need her to tell him about the prince. She seemed to forget he had met him already.

"Aright I get it already can you go?" Cinderella stopped speaking and frowned at him.

"You should be grateful that Sion puts up with you." She chastised. "he's very kind. He shouldn't have to read all those books just to meet you! He went home right after your performance and started reading." Nezumi's headache cleared as an image of Sion reading his favorite books. The prince was so dedicated.

 _"I guess we'll meet soon then."_ Nezumi smiled. For some unexplainable reason it made him very happy.

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Every week during late Autumn the local theaters would put on mini performances. This time of the year was quite popular with the people. The brightly colored leaves and the smoky smell of cooking pies made Autumn very appealing. It was also a time where many came to visit the country. They had many Autumn festivals which were popular even in other countries. The theaters always took advantage of this the surge in visitors to put on short one act plays hoping to make some extra money.

Sion never really payed attention to these plays in the past. Now however he went to each and every one of them. Nezumi was always preforming during these short shows. His manager wanted him to be front and center for all to see. He was slowly getting more popular even among other countries. Eve was drawing in customers like never before. Sion always have to make sure to box off the area he wanted so he could attend. Nezumi knew he was there. Whenever the play ended and the actors bowed, he would make eye contact with the prince. Sion would hold up how many books he had left. Nezumi would smile and then disappear backstage. Sion never bothered to follow him. Nezumi wouldn't be happy if Sion broke his rules. Sion would play his game. It made it more exciting to finish a book knowing he was a step closer to meeting Nezumi.

Today however his wait was at an end. He had just finished the last book which was called _Beowulf_ and was practically bouncing out of his seat. He wanted to go to the theater early but knew he had to wait for Cinderella to arrive. For some reason Sir Williams wouldn't let him go to the theater without her. When he first stated going weekly, the knight had taken the prince aside and had a stern conversation with him.

"I'm glad you're enjoying theater, but we have work to do. You can't abandon your duties for pleasure."

Sion had felt embarrassed and buckled down on his work after that. Although he was getting everything done, Sir Williams still seemed unwilling to let Sion go to the theater weekly. It wasn't until he heard that the prince was going with Cinderella that he relented. Whenever the knight or any of the staff saw Sion and Cinderella together, they acted strangely. Their eyes glittered brightly, and small smiles would crossed their face. Sion even once heard the cook mutter something that sounded like. "Ahh young love."

Sion really didn't really get what they were talking about, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. If it meant he could watch Nezumi preform then whatever they thought was fine.

"Your Highness, Cinderella's coach is arriving!" A guard hollered from the front gate. Sion jumped up from his desk and tore outside. As the coach pulled up Sion climbed in before the footman had time to jump down.

"You seem existed today." Cinderella said in bewilderment as Sion took the seat across from her. The white-haired man beamed at her but didn't say anything. He was to excited to start up a conversation.

Sion didn't enjoy the play much. Although it was good and Nezumi was amazing as usual, the prince couldn't stop feeling impatient. Despite only being one act long it felt like the play went on forever. Finally, the curtains closed, and the actors came on stage. Sion sat up in his seat as he saw Nezumi bow. The dark-haired man looked up and scanned the crowd until he found Sion. With his heart pounding Sion held up his figures forming a zero. Nezumi's eyes lit up as he mouthed "meet me backstage."

Sion didn't wait for everyone to stop clapping. He jumped up and charged to the actor's entrance. Behind him he could hear Cinderella's confused calls. He ignored them. He would explain things to her later. Sion barged through the door and tore down the hall. He passed confused actors and actress who were returning to their changing rooms. The prince read each of the actors dressing room's signs until he came to the door marked _Eve._

Sion came to a stop breaking heavily. He lifted a hand to open the door and paused. For some reason he suddenly felt very shy. After a moment's hesitation the white-haired man slowly brought up his hand up again and knocked softly.

"Come in." Nezumi's voice said from inside. Sion held his breath as he opened the door. There sitting on a bench at his mirror was Nezumi. He had taken off his wig but was still wearing the beautiful purple dress. The dark-haired man turned to look at Sion and Sion realizing he was still not breathing. The prince let his breath out slowly. He wondered if Nezumi could hear his heart pounding. The two f them stared at each other in silence.

"Hi." Sion finally said. Nezumi raised his eyes brows.

"You come to each of my performances, read all the books I ask you too, and that's all you have to say?"

"No!" Sion said frowning. "I have a lot to say to you actually. I just forgot it when I saw you."

"How very poetic." Nezumi snorted. Another pause.

"I enjoyed the books you gave me." Sion said. "The Iliad was really interesting. I studied some Greek history, but I never read that book." Nezumi relaxed as a smile crossed his face.

"Of course, it is." The dark-haired man said softly. "I'm surprised you read it so fast." Sion beamed at him.

"When I put my mind to something I always pull through." The prince said confidently. "Besides I had incentive." Nezumi smirked.

"I should ignore you more often. Imagine all the books you'll read."

"You wouldn't do that!" Sion exclaimed.

"Oh? Why not?" Nezumi asked raising an eyebrow. Sion frowned down at the ground as he tried to think of a reason why. Nezumi watched him ponder for a few seconds before relenting.

"I was joking." He said dryly. "don't take everything so serious."

"Nezumi!" Sion pouted. "That's mean! I really thought you were going to disappear again!"

"Nah I'll stick around a little bit longer." Nezumi snorted. "Not that I have a choice." He said the last part under his breath. Sion tilted her head, curious. He wondered if someone was forcing Nezumi to stay. He wondered a lot about Nezumi actually.

"Hey Nezumi." Sion asked hesitantly. "Can you tell me more about yourself?" he looked down as his hands. "I know so little about you." He kept his gaze down as he felt Nezumi survey him.

"I don't much about you either." the dark-haired finally said "It seems unfair for me to enclose so much information." Sion looked up surprised.

"I thought everyone knew about me." He said.

"I know you're a prince and some of your policies." Nezumi waved a hand dismissively, "But I don't know _you_."

"Do you want to know about me?" Sion asked. Nezumi paused biting his lip. Then he turned away.

"Sure" he said nonchalantly. Sion didn't know what to make of his answer. He seemed hesitant but at the same time Sion felt like he had something he wanted to ask.

"Alright then, what do you want to know?" Sion asked sitting down on a chair across from Nezumi.

"What's up with your hair and eyes." Nezumi said turning back to Sion. "And on that subject what's with the red mark around your neck. It doesn't seem very common for hume- I mean for people of this land."

"Ahh." Sion said touching the red scar on his face. "It actually goes all the way down my body."

"Really?" Nezumi said his eyes trailing down Sion. Sion's face turned red and he hurried on.

"It's a really funny story actually. When I was little my hair and eyes were brown. I was playing in the meadow when I saw a small fairy sleeping under a sunflower." Sion paused and rolled his eyes. "I got it into my little head that I should poke her awake." Nezumi stared at him.

"That's kind of stupid.

"Hey I was five!" Sion protested. "Always she got mad that I woke her and cursed me. She said I would slowly turn into a fluffy white bunny if I didn't do 50 good deeds." Sion sighed. "Do you know how hard it is to find 50 good deeds for a five-year-old to do without messing up? I caused so many problems! My mom started panicking when my hair turned white and my eyes turned red and I had only done 25 good deeds. She hired a traveling alchemist to attempt to end the curse." He sighed dramatically. "It didn't work."

"I take it you were able to do all 50 good deeds since you're not a rabbit."

"Eventually yes. But by the time I finished I had bunny ears, whiskers and a tail."

"That, I would pay to see." Nezumi said amused.

"Yeah It's my mom's favorite story to tell." Sion said laughing. "She was so terrified during it but once I was safe…she's never let me live it down."

"So, if you completed your task why is your hair still white and your eyes still red."

"Ahh," Sion said softly. "Well the curse didn't mix well with whatever the alchemist did…It basically made the chances that happened before I drank it permanent." He chuckled. "I'm glad I drank it before I got bunny ears."

"Really?" Nezumi leaned forward. "I think you would look cute with bunny ears."

"Nezumi!" Sion squeaked covering his face. "That's not funny!" the dark-hair man chuckled. Sion pouted and huffed. "Anyways now you know."

"Yeah." Nezumi said lightly pulling back. "Now I know." It was quiete for a moment then Nezumi continued in a softer voice. "I shouldn't be surprised though; fairy magic is so finicked. Do one thing wrong and you're stuck." Sion peaked between his fingers. Nezumi had turned away and was looking in the mirror at his reflection with an unreadable expression on his face. Sion had the feeling he had experience with magic.

"Have you ever been cursed?" the prince asked dropping his hands.

"No." Nezumi said flatly. Sion had the feeling he didn't want to talk about it, but curiosity got the better of him.

"Really? You talk as if you've have." Nezumi eyed his cooling in the mirror before sighing.

"It wasn't it a curse. At least the fairy didn't see it as one…Hell I was more of a side effect then anything." Sion waited for a moment but Nezumi didn't continue. He debated whether to pursue it but Nezumi seemed to be withdrawing from him. What ever happened must have rally changed his life. Sion felt a twinge of guilt. They had only just met again after more then a month part. Sion shouldn't ruin it.

"So how much of Shakespeare's works have you read by now?" he asked. To his relief Nezumi relaxed and turned around to face him.

"Probably more then you at this point." The dark-haired man challenged. Sion puffed out his cheeks.

"I'll have you know that Shakespeare is one of the few authors I was forced to read."

"Really?" Nezumi said amused, "Alright then which ones have you read?"

For the next hour Sion and Nezumi compared Shakespeare books. To Sion's annoyance Nezumi had read more Shakespeare as him. After that the conversation turned to the other books Nezumi had got Sion to read. Although Sion enjoyed reading them, talking to Nezumi about them was an entirely different experience. Nezumi could dig deeply into the texts and understand the characters on a different level. He posed questions and comments that Sion had never even thought of. The best part was when Nezumi got passionate about a line or a speech and would perform it aloud. Books sounded better coming from Nezumi then his own mind. Sion felt that if he could read in the same voice as Nezumi he would adore reading like the dark-haired man.

Talking to Nezumi was different then talking to anyone else. Most people were nervous and polite around him. His mother and Sir William were easier to talk to, but they were family. Talking to Cinderella was fun and playful. She wasn't stiff like the others and smiled easily. They would end up laughing randomly and sharing funny stories about their past. Even Cinderella however brought up topics she knew Sion enjoyed. Nezumi didn't feel the need to please Sion. He was the first person to not try to curve the conversation to Sion's interests. Talking to Nezumi felt…meaningful. He spoke him mind, even if Sion strongly disagreed.

BANG, BANG

Sion jumped as someone hammered on the door.

"Prince Sion?" a guard's voice said. "Are you in there?" The voice sounded concerned and worried. Sion blinked disorient. He had forgotten where they were.

"Yeah I'm here." Sion called back. The door opened and one of his guards stepped in. When he saw Sion, he relaxed.

"Prince Sion has been located." He yelled turning to someone who was in the hall. "Report this back to the others" He turned back to Sion and bowed. "You disappeared aright after the show. We thought you were kidnapped."

"I'm fine." Sion said embraced. "I was just talking to Nez- um Eve and lost track of time." The guard looked up from his bow and eyed Nezumi.

"I see." He growled. Nezumi smirked. Sion felt the tension in the room thicken.

"I guess I should get back." He said quickly. Then he turned to Nezumi "Do you want to come with me?" Nezumi hesitated.

"Not today." He said. Sion deflated slightly.

"Ok, yeah that makes sense. You're probably tired." Nezumi smiled gently.

"Hey," he said lifting the white-haired man's chin. "I just said not today. That's not forever. I'll go with you next week."

"Promise?"

"Promise"

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After that Nezumi started regularly going to the castle. Sion finally got to show Cinderella the library. Like he predicted she rushed around in excitement while Nezumi calmly found a corner to read in. Cinderella would gasp loudly when ever she found a new book that excited her. Nezumi would shoot her an angry look before turning his back on her and continue reading. Sion watched the two of them enjoy the library, a warm feeling spreading in his chest. It was nice to share what he loved with other people. He made a mental note to thank his mom and Sir William for forcing him to have that ball. If it wasn't for that he wouldn't have the two most important people in his life.

Over the next couple of months, the three of them hung out. Sometimes Nezumi, Sion and Cinderella would hang together. Sometimes it was just Sion and Cinderella. And sometimes just Nezumi and Sion. There wasn't any pattern and Sion looked forward each morning to who would show up that day. Sion started reading classics regularly. Nezumi would bring them for him to borrow. Sion also attended each of Nezumi's shows. He became such a regular that the theater built a special place for him to sit. In return Sion jabbered Nezumi's ear off on plants and medicine. Nezumi started bringing Sion plants he found for him. Sion loved these plants. He would go on about them and their properties. Nezumi promised that when spring came he would help Sion plant a garden.

Life was good for Sion and he hoped it would last forever.


	6. Chapter 6

"And this one is a Coral Rose. You can tell by the mixture of red and yellow along the petals." Sion flipped through the book on his lap. "It says here that the yellow represents friendship and the red represents romance." He picked up another book and started flipping through it. He paused for a second before continuing, "And it says here that it is a common ingredient in sleeping potions or sleeping powder."

"Really?" Nezumi said interestedly, "that might be nice to have on hand."

"Why?" Sion asked surprised.

"Some of my fans can be…too much."

"Ah, ok then! I'll add that to our garden list." Sion put down the book and scribbled the plant's name on a list. Nezumi reached into his bag for the next flower.

"How about this one?" he asked holding up a small yellow plant. Sion's eyes lit up and he began rummaging through one of the books with renewed vigor. Nezumi put the plant in a vase and turned to survey the prince. It never got old watching Sion excitedly research different plants. There was something both amusing and fascinating about the way his eyes lit up whenever he found something new.

Ever since winter hit Nezumi had lost the ability to pick up random flowers on the side of the road. He started bringing the flowers his fans left him at the end of his shows. Most of them were roses and Nezumi began to worry that he would run out of new one. He had fixed this by hinting to his fans that he loved different and unique flower. They have eagerly complied and now after every show and practice he would collect the flowers and bring them to Sion. Some came from around the kingdom while others came from farther away. A few of them weren't even in any of Sion's books. These flower excited the prince more than anything and he would search diligently until he found what they were.

"Oh, I know this flower!" Sion exclaimed. "Cinderella brought it to me last week." As Sion chatted happily about the flower Nezumi clenched his teeth and fought back his annoyance. his and Cinderella's relationship had gotten worse over the couple months they knew each other. They did their best to hid this from Sion. The prince would be disappointed if he knew they were fighting. Nezumi and the girl had made a pack that while they were at the castle, they would act respectful of each other. After they returned home, however they ended up fighting. Nezumi almost always won the battles but Cinderella was persistent and worn him down. Once she dragged an argument on for so long that Nezumi retreated and hid in Sion's library. He wished he could perinatally move there but there was to many problems attached to it. First of all, it was hard to get on and off the castle's grounds. Nezumi hated using the front gates. The guards were always hesitated to let him in, and they watched him the enter time. Lucky his rat instincts helped him find different ways to sneak in. Sion found it fascinating, but the queen, Sir Williams, and the rest of the staff regarded him with suspicion every time he appeared on the grounds. Not that he really cared what they thought but their watchful eyes were the second reason he couldn't stay at the castle's library.

"And Cinderella said these flowers were her mother's favorite." Sion jabbered on. Nezumi grimaced. Cinderella had opted out of visiting the castle today in order to take care of a sick neighbor or something. This meant that he had Sion to himself and he was not going to waste their time together talking about _her_.

"Hey Sion." Nezumi cut him off. "It looks like it's going to rain. Do you want to go for a walk?" Sion stopped talking and looked out the window. The sky was filled with dark clouds even though it was sunny that morning. The prince's eyes glistened excitedly.

"It looks like it's going to be a storm." He whispered a grin slowly crossing his face. The while haired man glanced over at the clock. "I still have a few hours before I have to get back to work." He jumped up and grabbed Nezumi's hand. "Let's go!" Sion threw on his coat and pulled Nezumi to the door. Nezumi copied him and allowed himself to be dragged into the hall. A few weeks after they started meeting at the castle Nezumi had learned about Sion's love of storms and wild weather. Sion told him that he used to love walking in the storms, but Sir William had disapproved of it. Nezumi noticed that Sion tended to give in to Sir William's requests. The dark-haired man had pointed out that if they got out of the castle unnoticed then Sir Williams couldn't stop them. After that they began going on storm walks. Cinderella was horrified when she heard. She had told them that it was dangerous and refused to go with them. This worked for Nezumi since it meant that, even with her visiting, he always got Sion to himself.

"Hey Nezumi." Sion whispered eyes gleaming. "Can we use the passage that leads to the harbor side of the castle?"

"That entrance is near Sir William's study." Nezumi pointed out. "We'd probably get caught.

"Sir William's training the new knights, so we won't run into him." Sion looked at the dark-haired man. "Please Nezumi, if we take that entrance then we can go to the beach and watch the sea." Nezumi paused for a second then smiled.

"As you wish Your Majesty" he said with a flourish bow and Sion giggled. Nezumi took the lead and lead the prince down the hall. They traveled for a little while before coming to a halt.

"Close your eyes." Nezumi said softly. Sion smiled and complied. It wasn't that the dark-haired man didn't trust Sion, but he wanted to keep passageways a secret from everyone. It was just something he retained from instincts as a rat. You never let anyone know you secrets, even your friends.

Nezumi took the white-haired man's and guided him down another passage until they came to a tapestry of a woman playing in a stream. He pulled it aside and pushed in one of the stones. A section of the wall moved backwards leaving a space big enough for them to enter.

"Duck you head." Nezumi commanded as he pulled Sion through. The prince obeyed him and once they were safely through, he closed it behind them. The passage was dark but Nezumi had good eyesight. He was used to the dark after all. He let Sion down the rocky tunnel. Sion help onto his arm so he wouldn't fall.

"Can I open my eyes now?" he whispered.

"Sure, if you want." Nezumi said. "But you won't be able to see anything." He heard Sion gasp.

"It's so dark! How do you know where we're going?"

"I like the dark." Nezumi said amused. They followed the passage until they came to a dead end. Nezumi had Sion close his eyes again and pushed open the entrance. He crawled through and told Sion to do the same. Once they were through Nezumi closed it.

"Alright you can open your eyes again." The dark-haired man said. Sion's bright red eyes popped open and he started at Nezumi in wonder.

"That passage was different then the last one we took. I feel like every time you bring me out of the castle it's through a new passageway." He surveyed Nezumi with awe "How many do you have?"

"Who knows?" Nezumi said casually enjoying Sion's amazement. A roll of thunder boomed overhead, and Sion turned his attention to the sky. There was a flash of lightening and sudden a down pour of rain drenched them.

"Looks like we got here just in time." Nezumi said. It was a fairly warm day and Nezumi noticed that there wasn't any snow or ice on the ground. This was good since Sion could be a klutz sometimes.

The prince stared up at the sky few minutes before closing his eyes. He looked content to stand there getting soaked. Finally, he opened his eyes again and laughed loudly. It wasn't like his normal laugh; this one was wild and free. Without another word Sion took running across the grounds. Once he was a safe distance from Nezumi he spun around and around, arms out. Nezumi watched him. This was a part of Sion that only Nezumi knew existed. The wild free part of him that he hid in the castle. Sion spun around again until he fell to the ground. Nezumi walked over to him and looked down.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked. Sion looked up at him, joy in his face.

"Yes," he laughed jumping back to his feet. He grabbed Nezumi's hand his eyes burning with happiness "Let's go to the beach!"

"As you wish Your Majesty." Nezumi said as he followed the prince down a narrow side path, half running half walking. They continued until they go to a cliff edge overlooking the sea. The water tumbled and thrashed wildly below. Most people would be terrified or overwhelmed by the sight. Sion however seemed to draw energy from it. He let go of Nezumi's hand and jumped on a bolder near the edge. He through back his head, arms open wide and bellowed out into the endless turning waters. Despite how loud his voice was it was lost in the sea's own roar. When they had first started their rain walks Nezumi was startled when Sion had started yelling. Now however he was used to it though he still sometimes teased the white-haired boy about it. Yelling was Sion's way of letting out his pent-up emotions, to let free his frustration, joys, and sorrows.

Sion bellowed again before looking up at the sky. As Nezumi watched him a thrill of excitement went down his spin. Sion looked magical. His white hair blew around his head, illuminated by the flashing lightning. His red eyes sparkled wildly and dangerously. His arms outstretched and his sleeves blowing in the wind. Nezumi suck in his breath and tried to memorize the scene before him. This was as meaningful and powerful as reading one of his books. He found himself lost in the details of Sion's excitement, enjoying the pure beauty and wonder of it all. Nezumi didn't know how long they were standing when Sion let out his breath and his arms fell to his side. He turned around and looked at Nezumi. The wildness in his eyes faded, replaced with gentleness as he gazed at the dark-haired man. He stepped away from the cliff and walked back to Nezumi.

"You look cold." He yelled over the roaring waves. "We should head back." Nezumi blinked in surprise. A few seconds ago, he was fine, now however he found himself shivering.

"Speak for yourself." Nezumi yelled back. "Your lips are turning blue." Sion brought up his hand in surprised and touched his lips. Then his eyes rose to meet Nezumi. For a second another emotion filled them, one that Nezumi felt was dangerous. The dark-haired man grabbed Sion's hands.

"Come on, before you freeze to death." As he led Sion back, Sion's hands closed tightly around his.

"Ok," Sion's voice was almost inaudible over the sound of wind. Nezumi started walking without looking back. He knew that Sion was watching him with a strange expression on his face. It wasn't the first time he made that expression. Nezumi knew what it meant. It was the expression of someone made when they were in love. The last thing Nezumi needed was the prince to like him. It would end badly.

He shook his head. This wasn't something he wanted to think about. He didn't want to think of how Sion's eyes glittered when he looked at the dark-haired man. Nezumi also didn't want to think of how that look caused his heart to beat wildly. He was a rat; he couldn't love a human. These emotions were too complicated. Nezumi didn't like complicated things so he chose to ignore Sion's feelings. It was better for the both of them.

.

.

.

Sir William did not like Nezumi. The man was extremely suspicions. To start the dark-haired man's history only began a couple of months ago when he mysteriously showed up at an audition of _Romeo and Juliet_. When the knight pointed this out to Sion, he waved him off and said Nezumi probably just moved from another country. Sir Williams was not convinced so the prince went to ask Cinderella. The young woman was usually an open person, but she was oddly reluctant to talk about Nezumi. Even so she swore that the actor was harmless and that he was not a spy nor an assassin. If it was anyone else Sir Williams would not believe them. Cinderella however had won him over. She was extremely honest and was always was looking out for the prince's best interest. Sir William believed she would make a good queen. If he thought, she could be the queen then he would trust her opinion.

And with that Nezumi gained access to the castle.

Over time Nezumi changed the knight's opinion of him. Before he thought that Nezumi could be a suspicious figure. Now however he KNEW Nezumi was suspicious. The actor had a sneaky quality to him. It was almost rat like which fit his name. He would get in and out of the castle without any detection. Once inside, the dark-haired man strut around as if he owned the place. He once spent a week in Prince Sion's library and refused to leave. Sir Williams had almost commanded the guards drag him out if the prince didn't stop him.

The thought of the prince made Sir Williams grimmest. He hated the influence Nezumi had over Prince Sion. The white-haired man became more reckless when he was around Nezumi. He knew Nezumi snuck him out of the castle plenty of times to go on rain walks. Prince Sion loved walking in bad weather. It was a habit the knight has been working to eliminate on for many years. He had almost completely removed them from Prince Sion's mind when Nezumi appeared and started them up again.

Of course, the changes in Prince Sion's behavior weren't all bad. Now that he was taking off time from work to see his friends, he seemed more relaxed. He had made up for his absents by doubling down on his work when heh had the time. Prince Sion became more efficient and efficient than before. The prince also started branching out in his hobbies. He now loved reading and was planning a garden for the spring. These hobbies had a positive effect on Prince Sion's social abilities. Before the prince was polite but removed from guest. Now however he eagerly engaged in conversations with nobles and knights. Then there were the prince's trips to the theater. With him out in the public so often his people were getting used to seeing their prince. This was causing a spike in his popularity.

Sir Williams however doubted that Nezumi's presents influenced these positive behaviors. Other than the theater, the knight believed that the changes came from Cinderella. She was good natured and pleasant, so it made sense that Prince Sion was influenced by her. Whenever the prince and the young woman were together Sion always looked calm and happy. The thought of them together made the old knight smile. Young love was a beautiful thing.

A clap of thunder shook Sir William from his thoughts, and he paused. He had just finished training the new knights. The training room did not have any windows, so he didn't notice the storm. Any sound of thunder was drowned by the loud yell and clashing of swords. Now that it was quite Sir William could hear the storm's raging. The knight's heart sank. If there was a storm, then Nezumi and Prince Sion were probably in it. The very thought of the dark-haired man alone with the prince made his heart pound. If anything happened to Prince Sion... The knight glanced at the castle's clock tower. Prince Sion needed to get back to his work soon. That meant he would probably be returning soon. Sir Williams took off at a brisk pace towards the prince's bedchambers. The boys would need to change from their wet clothes once they returned. He would not give the prince time to dry his hair and pretend he was inside the whole time. The prince used to respect of the older knight's requests. Now however Nezumi's influence was causing the prince to act out. If Sir Williams truly wanted Prince Sion to stop his dangerous behavior he would have to talk to the cause of the problem. The knight gritted his teeth. That would mean talking to Nezumi again.

"Let's get some dry clothes." A voice said from up ahead. "Then I'll have the cook make us some hot chocolate." Sir Williams turned the corner and saw Prince Sion and Nezumi walking down the hall. They stopped when they saw the knight. Sir Williams surveyed their drenched clothes and messed up hair.

"So, you left again." He folded his arms frowning. Prince Sion looked down like a child in trouble and shuffled his feet. Nezumi started at Sir William, refusing to break eye contact.

"It wasn't that long." Prince Sion muttered. "We just went to the ocean. There's nothing wrong with that." He glances at the clock. "I still have a few minutes until I need to get back to work."

"Prince Sion." Sir William said tiredly. "It's dangerous to wander around in a storm, especially near the ocean. What if you fell in? You would have downed! Of course, wandering in a storm is always dangerous. You could get hurt or sick or _Someone_ could use this opportunity to harm you." He glared at Nezumi. The dark-haired man raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"I was safe!" Sion protested looking up. "I was with Nezumi." Sir William bit his lip. It was no use telling Prince Sion that Nezumi was the danger he was referring to. It would just get the young man angry.

"Alright, it doesn't matter. After you change, I'll meet you in your office to help you." He finally said. The prince nodded gloomily, and two boys started heading off. Sir Williams stopped them. "Nezumi. After you change, I would like a word with you." Prince Sion spun around to face the knight, a look of shock on his face.

"Why?" he asked.

"I merely have a few things I need to discuss with him." The knight said calmly. Nezumi smirked.

"This should be interesting." He said. Prince Sion looked between Nezumi and the knight.

"I'm the one who wanted to go outside in the storm. I convinced Nezumi to go with me." Sion said upset.

"I know that." Sir Williams said gently. The prince didn't budge. The three of them stood there in silence.

"You really should change before you catch a cold." Nezumi pointed out. "I'm not visiting you if you're sick." Prince Sion huffed and glowered at Nezumi.

"Fine." He sniffed. "I will." He paused and his expression softened. "Are you planning on leaving soon or will you still be here when I finish working?"

"Hmmm," Nezumi looked thoughtful. "I'll probably stay. This storm doesn't look like it's going to let up any time soon and I don't want to get wet again." Prince Sion visibly cheered.

"Alright then see you later!" He said. The prince glanced once back at Sir William and clarified. "And it's still my fault that we left, not Nezumi's." The knight smiled and nodded. Prince Sion hesitated before starting off again. Sir William's let his smile fall. It alarmed him that it took Nezumi to convince the young prince to leave. Now that the knight thought about it why did Nezumi convince Prince Sion to leave? Usually he would just use this opportunity to slink out while the two of them bickered and hid in the library. Sir William turned to Nezumi; his eyes narrowed.

"You seem awfully compliant today." He accused. "I heard that the last time one of the knights asked to talk to you, you disappeared." He voices lowered into a growl. "What are you up to?"

"Me?" Nezumi said with fake innocence. "Why would _I_ be up to anything?" he dropped the act and smirked. "I merely wanted to talk to Sion's babysitter" Sir William bristled.

"Prince Sion." He snarled through clenched teeth. "Is the crowed prince of our country. He is practically an adult. In a couple of months, he will come of age then it' just a matter of time until he gets married and becomes king. The prince does more work for this country then anyone. How dare you suggest he's a child."

"Really?" Nezumi said dryly. "I couldn't tell by the way you were chastising him." Sir William's eyes bulged. How dare this man suggest that _he_ belittled the prince. He was looking out for his prince's best interest unlike the dark-haired man. Before he could retort Nezumi turned away and headed down the hall.

"If you excuse me, I have to change." He threw a look over his shoulder. "I'll be in your office afterwards." With that he was gone. Sir William stared after him. The arogenates of that man new no end. He tried the knight's patience like no one else.

Nezumi arrived at Sir William's office twenty minutes later. The knight took the chair behind his desk and Nezumi took the chair across from him. Despite the piercing glare that the knight shot him Nezumi seemed quite comfortable. He lounged on the chair and mildly observed the older man.

"So, what can I do for you." He asked

"I would like to ask you to stop spending time with the prince."

"Isn't that for him to decided?" Nezumi asked. "Or is this because I'm a "bad influence" on him?"

"Your presents cause the prince to act in ways that could cause him harm. These rain walks are a danger. Of course," his stern look intensified. "I'm also not convinced that _you_ mean no harm to the prince." Sir Williams said. Nezumi's eyes lit up and rested his head on his hand.

"Oh? So, you think I'm planning on hurting Sion." His voice was light and oozing with amusement. "So, does that mean you think I'm a criminal?"

"I think." Sir William said his temper rising. "That you're an assassin."

"My, how flattering." Nezumi said leaning back. "You think that highly of me." His smirk turned into an amused grin. "I'm merely just a rat."

"And what does that mean?" Sir Willems snapped.

"Just as it sounds." Nezumi said plainly.

"Don't play games with me." Sir Williams said slamming his hand on the desk. "You think your actions go unnoticed? You think I don't see how you treat the prince. He could have you executed for your actions. You break an entry. You refuse the prince's request. You talk back to him and mock him. You lie and hide secrets. You clearly are up to no good." Sir Williams leaned in toward the younger man. "What are you planning? Are you trying to lead the prince father away from the castle so you can kill or kidnap him?"

"You're reading way too much into things." Nezumi said "But please continue, how are my random actions an evil plot to kidnap and kill Sion." He tilted his head to the side. "I'm actually interested to hear this. Your fantasies are more creative than a lot of books I've read." Sir Williams jumped to his feet his temper rising.

"I'll only to say this once more. Stay away from the prince!"

"And I'll say it again, he gets to decided that not you."

"Then tell me who you are."

"Nezumi"

"Rat isn't a name nor a job nor what you are." The knight roared. Nezumi chuckled.

"You think so?"

Sir Williams took a step around his desk. He usually didn't loose his temper like this but Nezumi was pushing him to far. He needed to know if his prince was going to be safe.

Bang!

Sir Williams paused and turn to look at the door. Nezumi did the same. Standing in the doorway looking upset and out of breath was Prince Sion.

"I thought I heard fighting." He panted glaring at the knight. "Sir Williams stop interrogating Nezumi!"

"Your highness." Sir William said, his anger falling away. "You have to understand-"

"I trust Nezumi and that should be enough for you." Prince Sion cut in "Besides Cinderella already told you he wasn't a spy or assassin. If you can't believe me then believe her." Sir William's reply died in his throat as he saw Sion's hurt expression. He was causing his prince grief by not believing him.

"I- Prince Sion, I just want to protect you…." He attempted to say. The prince shot him another look and grabbed Nezumi's arm. He pulled the dark-haired man out of the room leave the knight behind.

.

.

Sion pulled Nezumi down the hall and into his study. He slammed the door behind them and fell into a chair. Nezumi watched him uncertainty. He found the knight's interrogation amusing. His accusations were something the dark-haired man could mock. Sion on the other hand seemed extremely upset by it.

"If he starts interrogating you again come find me." Sion muttered. "I'm sorry you had to put up with that." He rubbed his forehead warily. "He already approved of you when you first came here. He can't keep on acting this way."

"Does it matter?" Nezumi asked. Sion glared at him.

"Of course, it matters! He exclaimed. "He's implying you're a lowlife and that's horrible. We had to deal with assassins before. They're terrible people. To think after approving of you he still treats you like that." To Nezumi's horror Sion's eyes started to water, "It's appalling. It's frustrating. You're my guest. They should treat you better." Nezumi was lost of words. He slowly went over to Sion and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," he said gently. "There's no reason to cry about it. I've been called worse things. Trust me he was mild." As a rat, Nezumi was used to being chased off or attacked by humans. It wasn't unusual for him. His comment didn't seem to help Sion who looked appalled.

"That's horrible!" the white-haired boy exclaimed. "I didn't know that!" he rubbed his eyes in frustration. "And that's no excuse! My men should know better." He started and Nezumi seriously. Nezumi glanced away from his gaze. Sion was the only person he couldn't win in a staring match. There was something honest in his gaze; something that seemed to see him in a way other human didn't. It unnerved him but he wasn't sure if he liked it or not.

"It's not like I don't give them reasons to be suspicious." Nezumi shrugged. "Besides you have to see it from their point of view. I literally lived in your private library for a week. You wouldn't even let Cinderella in there overnight. I know how protective you are of that library."

"You're different." Sion muttered. Nezumi stiffened and looked up. That look had returned to Sion's eyes. Nezumi licked his lips nervously.

"How am I different?" he asked knowing that he would regret the answer. Sion looked away and fidgeted. Finally, he turned back around his eyes dead serious.

"I'm in love with you Nezumi." He said "I haven't liked anyone this way before. I-"

"Alright I get it." Nezumi said looking away again. He shouldn't have asked. Why didn't he just ignore him? Why did part of him want to confirm how the prince was feeling. He hated how his heart pounded when he heard those words. It was not possible for him to fall in love with a human. He tried to reason with the feelings. He was just flattered that Sion felt that way. He felt a bond towards the prince. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel anything for Sion, but he refused to acknowledge it as love.

"Nezumi?" Sion asked worriedly. Nezumi swore and ran a hand through his hair.

"Sion you don't know anything about me." He finally said when he could look at the prince again.

"That's because you refuse to tell me about the past, beyond when you helped Cinderella come to the ball." Sion said softly. Nezumi swore again. It should be easy to laugh this off. Mock Sion for his naivety and carry on but for some reason he couldn't right out reject him.

"Give me time to think…" Nezumi said. Sion's expression softened and he nodded.

"Take your time." He said. Nezumi paused and looked outside.

"It's still raining." He said. "I'm going to the library…I would rather you not bug me."

"I understand." Sion said in a small voice. Nezumi hated how sad he sounded, like a hurt puppy. He couldn't take it anymore. The dark-haired man turned and left the room. His heart was racing with unwanted feelings.

He pushed them down angrily. He was a rat for god sake! He couldn't get into a relationship with a human. He was still holding onto the faint hope he be could turn back into a rat someday. If he did start something with Sion it complicate things. He didn't want to hurt the white-haired man, but he also didn't want to be trapped as a human. Nezumi swore again loudly scaring some maids who were cleaning nearby. Life was simpler as a rat. He wouldn't let it get complicated just because Sion had some stupid crush on him. He wasn't looking for a mate. The feelings he had for Sion were just platonic. It was stupid. This whole situation was stupid. He was stupid. Sion was stupid. The fairy godmother was stupid. Cinderella was really stupid. Magic was stupid. He hated everything.

His mind kept on ranting until he got to the library. Once inside he began to calm. The smell of books reminded him that he had a way to escape. He went to the bookcase and grabbed a book at random. He didn't care what it was, all he needed to do was to get away. Escape Sion and his confession. Escape his own confused feelings. With that he sunk into the world of the book and was lost among the words.


	7. Chapter 7

Sion was starting to see the appeal of literature. There was something about it the drew him in. Of course, it could have just been because of Nezumi. Sion couldn't tell. Although he was enjoying reading, there was one genre that he didn't like at all. Sion disliked tragedies. Nezumi said they were more realistic since happy endings in real life were hard to come by. The dark-haired man always pointed out things eventually fall apart. According to him it was human nature to always mess up and do something wrong. Sion disagreed. It might be being too optimistic, but he held fast the idea that things could always get better.

Even though Sion did not like tragedies, for some reason Nezumi still recommended them. The dark-haired man claimed that it "built character" and always snuck one or two onto the prince's list. Sion found them an unwelcomed surprise. He hated when the book he was reading suddenly started spiraling down into despair. He felt betrayed whenever he realized a book was a tragedy. This time was no different

"I can't believe you made me read that." Sion slammed shut the play _Oedipus Rex_ and glared at Nezumi who was watching him from behind him own book.

"You should have seen your face." Dark-haired man sniggered. "The slowly dawning horror, the shock, the dismay" his grin broadened, and he continued dramatically, "The betrayal."

"You should have warned me." Sion sulked crossing his arms.

"I did." Nezumi closed his book. "I said it didn't end well. It's not my fault you still read it."

"That's not fair!" Sion protested. "Not ending well does not always mean tragedy!"

"Oh?" Nezumi smile was becoming unbearable. "Then why didn't you ask me to clarify what I meant? That way you wouldn't have been surprised." Sion growled. He wanted to say something that would wipe the smile from the taller man's face. When nothing came to mind Sion opted to change the subject.

"What are you reading right now?" he asked.

"Hmmm?" Nezumi glanced down at his book. "I actually don't know. I was to busy watching you to even start it." Sion gaped at him.

"So instead of reading your own book you were watching me?" Sion finally asked. Nezumi smiled and shrugged.

"What can I say? You're amusing to watch." Sion glared down at the book sitting on his lap. It looks so innocent.

"I hate tragedies." He grumbled. "They're always so depressing."

"Not everyone gets a happy ending. Not everyone gets what they want." Nezumi said, his dark eyes staring Sion. Sion looked into Nezumi's eyes then both of them turned away as awkward silence filled the room. Although the dark-haired man hadn't said anything about what happened, Sion felt that Nezumi had strayed too close to that topic.

It had been over a mouth since Sion had confessed to Nezumi. Since then they had been pretending nothing had happened. Nezumi hadn't answered his confession and Sion was afraid to bring it up again. After the confession the actor hadn't talked to him for about a week. It was been a long and painful period of time for Sion. It wasn't like Nezumi was angry at the prince, or at least that wasn't what Sion felt from him. It was more like he was uncomfortable with the idea. Nezumi always keep people at arms distance. Sion was closest to him, yet he still didn't know much about the dark-haired man's past. He didn't even know Nezumi's real name. The prince always wondered if Nezumi was afraid of human interactions. He seemed to withdraw from people in general. For this reason, Sion choose to continue onwards pretending that he didn't confess. Nezumi, after a few awkward visits, calmed down and they went back to normal. Even so the optimistic part of him pointed out that he wasn't technically rejected by Nezumi. Sion held on to the faint hope that maybe, someday, he would be able to confess again. But today was not that day.

"Hey Nezumi!" Sion said changing the subject. "I want to show you something!" He jumped to his feet and dragged the startled man out of the library before he could respond. They trudged over the frozen dirt until they came to a fenced off area.

"Tah dah!" Sion said presenting it. Nezumi looked unimpressed.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Our garden!" Sion said excitedly. "In a couple of weeks, the ground will defrosted enough to plant on. We can start then."

"Ah." Nezumi's expression softened. "That's good." He smiled over at Sion, his eyes warming. The white hair man let out a breath. The tension was gone, and they were back to being friends. He beamed back at Nezumi.

"Now we need to start collecting gardening tools and seeds." The prince said.

"You know what we need more then I do." Nezumi shrugged. "You're the one who read about this kind of thing."

"You're going to help!" Sion said offended. "Some of these plants can be bought at local stores. There's no reason you can't go buy them yourself." Nezumi opened his mouth to reply when suddenly a voice called out.

"Prince Sion! Nezumi!" The boys turned to see Cinderella making her way towards them. Sion beamed and waved back. Nezumi's smile became forced. Sion had the feeling that Cinderella and Nezumi didn't like each other very much. Both parties denied it, claiming that they were perfectly fine with each other. Sion couldn't exactly put his figure on why he felt this way. Yes, their smiles became strained whenever they saw each other, and yes, their voices could be tight and snippy sometimes, but they were always polite and nice in his presents.

"Cinderella," Nezumi said, his expression returning back to a pleasant smile. "What brings you here today?"

"Oh yeah, didn't you have a work today?" Sion asked. Cinderella had recently started working at a bookstore. It was a nice job and helped her save up money so she could move out of her house. Sion would be glad when she got away from her stepfamily.

"I got off early." She said beaming. "I met Sir Williams at the gate. He said they were holding dance practice inside for the noble's children." Her smile broadened. "He asked if I would like to join them." Cinderella had confessed after they met that she didn't actually know how to dance. It was only the fairy's spell that made it possible for her not to topple over on the night of the ball.

"That's great!" Sion exclaimed. "I need to work on my dancing as well. I'm not very good at it." His mother always chastised him for stepping on his the partner's feet.

"You're not that bad." Nezumi said rolling his eyes.

"Only when you lead." Sion pointed out. Nezumi had been giving Sion private dance lessons. He already knew how to dance since he had to do it many times for the theater.

"Then this is your time to practice leading." Nezumi said turning around. "Have fun you two."

"Aren't you going to join us?" Sion asked. Nezumi shot him a look over his shoulder.

"Dancing is a two-person activity. I'm not going to sit around while the two of you try to break each other's toes. I'm going to head back home. See you tomorrow."

"Oh ok." Sion watched the dark-haired man stole off. Despite the nonchalant way he spoke, Sion could tell that Nezumi was upset about something, though he didn't know what. Was it because the dark-haired man felt dancing was their thing? Sion had started to notice that Nezumi wasn't big on sharing activities that both he and Sion enjoyed. He was the main person Sion talked to about books and their garden. Nezumi was also his partner during rain walks. Sion and Cinderella usually did a lot of random activities together, but they really didn't have anything that was "their thing". Whenever Nezumi and Cinderella were in the same room it felt like Nezumi always stood back to give him and Cinderella space. The dark-haired man seemed happiest when he was alone with Sion. Did Nezumi see dancing as one of their things? Sion had assumed that Nezumi didn't want to get close to him after his confession. This made his reaction even more confusing. What did Nezumi want?

"Prince Sion?" Cinderella asked concerned. "Are you alright?" Sion shook his head clearing his thoughts. He'd worry about Nezumi later.

"Yeah, I'm fine, let's go."

.

.

.

Nezumi knew he shouldn't be sulky about Cinderella wanting to dance with Sion. It wasn't like it was _special_ to him. Just because he enjoyed whisking the smaller man across a dance floor didn't make it _their_ thing. Sure, he enjoyed leading the prince around the dance floor. Sure, he liked it when Sion's stumbling steps and protests slowly smoothed out to the beat of the song and he gained confidence in himself. But it didn't mean anything really. He knew he had to share Sion. If he really wanted Sion to himself, he should just go out with him. But he couldn't start something with the prince, therefore he shouldn't be angry when the prince ended up dance with someone else.

Yet he was.

Nezumi growled to himself as he hopped in through the window into his library. He searched around for a book to read, picking at random. Nezumi sat down and took a deep breath in. He should enjoy this time alone. At least he had time now to read his books without any interruptions. Not that he minded Sion's interruptions. Watching Sion read could sometimes be more interesting then reading himself. Sion was an open book and when a story got exciting, he squeaked and shuffled around with happiness. When it became dark or gloomily, he would huff in protest and scowl that the book. Even so Nezumi still enjoyed reading by himself. With no Cinderella to bother him nor any practice today he was free to read as long as he wanted. The dark-haired man smiled as he opened his book. No interruptions whatsoever.

Nezumi tried to get into the book but he was immediately interrupted by an unusual sight. A firefly fluttered past him. Nezumi watched it suspiciously for a few seconds before putting down his book. It was too early for fireflies to be out. His instincts told him something was about to happen. Before he could do anything, another firefly fluttered in followed by another and another. Soon a long line if fireflies were streaming around the room lighting it up. Nezumi stood up slowly stared at the little insects. Then they started swirly around and around. Nezumi's eyes narrowed. He remembered the last time this happened.

Just as he predicted, the fireflies suddenly disappeared leaving the fairy godmother behind. The woman looked worse than the last time he saw her. She had dark circles under her eyes and her clothes were disheveled. Her hair stood up at weird angles and she seemed restless.

"You're back." Nezumi said crossing his arms, trying to keep his voice neutral. No need for her to know how shook up her appearance made him. "What do you want? I thought you were going to leave me with the "great gift" of humanity." The fairy turned towards him and scold fiercely. Any sign of her "benign" kindness was gone.

"That was before you started messing things up." she snapped.

"And how did I mess things up?" Nezumi asked raising an eyebrow. "You left me as a human."

"You weren't supposed to get in the way of Cinderella and the prince!" she hissed. "They were supposed to fall in love and get married. The prince was not supposed to confess his feelings to a _rat._ " She snarled the last part. "You've made a right mess of things."

Nezumi paused at her words. He never thought much about why the godmother gave Cinderella a chance to go to the ball. He assumed it was just a nice night out. Now he saw that it extended farther than that. This wasn't good. It meant Nezumi was getting in the way of the fairy's plan. He wasn't sure what she was the going to doing about it. She was the one with magic. If she wanted to trap or kill him, she could probably do it in an instant. If that was the case, then he needed to get her wand before she could cast any spells. He was not going to continually be kicked around by this fairy. If she wanted a fight, he would give her a fight.

"So, what are you going to do about it." Nezumi said in a low voice bending into a crouch. The godmother noticing his aggressive stance and took a step back, fear crossing her face.

"Calm down please." She said frightened. "I don't want to fight you. I meanly want to make a deal with you."

"A deal?"

"This deal with benefited both of us. There's no reason to act this way." Nezumi paused for a second before slightly relaxed stance.

"Go on." He said. Nezumi was still in a good position. If he didn't like the deal, he still had enough time to strike at her. The fairy rolled her wand between two of her fingers looking nervous.

"Right now," She said. "the other fairies are not aware of you…existence. I could get into trouble if they find out you're human. Now it wouldn't have mattered if you had left the country or just stayed in town, but because you decided to befriend the prince… If Cinderella doesn't marry him or at least start dating him the others will soon start to notice." She looked anxious. "Cinderella is very popular among my kind. If her wish isn't granted…I could get into a lot of trouble." She shivered. "so, this is the plan. Ever since the prince's confession I have been working on a way to turn you back into a rat."

This got Nezumi's full attention. He straightened up his heart pounding. The dark-haired man struggled a minute trying to keep his face calm before speaking.

"You can do that? Why didn't you do it before?"

"It's not an easy spell!" she protested. "I need a spell that will erases all human knowledge from your mind then turn you into an animal. The wood and flower fairies do it all the time to humans who anger or upset them. The problem is that it isn't information that fairy godmothers usually have. Other than wood or flower fairies, only the head fairy godmother has that knowledge. I can't ask her without exposing my error, so I have been meeting with the wood fairies in secret." She scowled. "Do you know how annoying they are? You should be grateful." Nezumi snorted and crossed his arms.

"This is your fault in the first place." He snipped. "If you have the spell then turn me back."

"I haven't mastered it yet!" she exclaimed. "It takes a while to learn magic, especially if you have to learn it in secret. I don't want to mess this up. Who knows what could happen!"

"So how long will it take."

"A couple months to a year." The fairy said nervously.

"Fairies are useless creatures." Nezumi snorted. "Fine when you're done return and turn me back into a rat."

"I can't do that in here!" The fairy rolled her wand faster. "You're right next to a human dwelling. What if I turn them into animals by mistake!" She leaned in closer lowering her voice. "There's a natural garden near a pond a couple of miles out of town."

"Is that the one near the town's signpost?" Nezumi asked. "Won't to many people walk past there for it to be a safe place to turn me back?"

"We'll meet in the middle of the garden at night so no humans will be around" she waved her wand and a small green leaf fluttered down. The fairy grabbed it from the air and handed it to him. "This leaf will turn silver when I finish, and we need to meet." She paused for a second nervously, "Do we have a deal?" Nezumi took the leaf and looked down at it.

"Fine." He finally said. The fairy gave a sigh of relief.

"Then it's settled." She smiled at him. "I'll see you when the time comes!" The fairy godmother raised her wand, and with a flash of light, she was gone.

Nezumi stared at the place where she disappeared. He should feel happy; soon he would become a rat again. He could escape humans and their stupid rules and live free. He wouldn't need to deal with people anymore. He wouldn't need to eat as much nor worry about clothes and baths. He wouldn't need to deal with Cinderella nor his job. He didn't even need worry about Sion's confession anymore. Yet….

He felt nothing at all. He was numb all over.

"Damn it." He hissed. Why was he being so dramatic. This was what he wanted the whole time. It was the faint hope that he would turn back that kept him from falling into despair when he first turned into a human. He would wait patiently until the fairy finished her spell, then he would become a rat and be done with it.


	8. Chapter 8

Nezumi opened his eyes groggily, his heart pounding. It was still dark in Cinderella's father's library. In the distance he could hear the crickets chirping and other sounds of the night. In the distance the town clock chiming telling him it was three in the morning. He groaned and rolled over. It was way too early to get up and start his day. Nezumi hating to wake up in the middle of the night. When he had first turned into a human, he found it difficult to stay away all day since he was nocturnal by nature. After a while however he adjusted to the human system of sleeping through the night. He hadn't had a problem until the dreams started. They weren't nightmares but they weren't pleasant either. The dreams were strange and made him feel uncomfortable. Ever since he agreed to the fairy godmother's plan his mind had been in a whirl of uncertainty and conflict. These feelings leaked into his dreams.

They always started off the same. Nezumi would dream he was a rat again. As a rat his world was driven by his senses. He felt and smelled his existence instead of thinking and speaking. Nezumi would scurry through tunnels and collect edible items. There was no job, nor rules, no social construction. He would just exist as a simple rat, needing only safety, shelter, and food.

Then his dream would shift and become complicated. Sion would appear. Whether he was human or a rat Nezumi never remembered. It wasn't really important what Sion was. Sion was Sion either way. What he did remember was that, when Sion appeared Nezumi would think.

 _This is Sion_

That was always Nezumi's first real thought in his dreams. After this initial thought Nezumi suddenly became aware of himself. He could no longer was only relying on sense he needed to think. Then Sion opened his mouth and Nezumi would think.

 _He's speaking_

Then the world became more complicated and Nezumi couldn't only rely on body language to get a message across, he needed words. After Sion stopped speaking, he would look at Nezumi and the rat would think,

 _I love him_

Suddenly Nezumi wasn't able to live without Sion. He took Sion as his mate and they escaped the rat colony. They lived together scavenging for food, reading, making nests, claiming territories, talking for hours about fun and pointless things….

That's where Nezumi's dream always ended. He would wake up, his heart pounding and longing for two things. He would long to be a rat again and go back to the comfort of the wild. He would long to stay human again and stay with Sion. He knew he couldn't have both. Even if they had both been rats it would have ended bad. Sion was weak and Nezumi wouldn't be able to feel love. He would probably end up killing Sion. He knew this yet he still wanted to be a rat. When he thought of staying human forever he would fall into despair. When he though of never seeing Sion again he wanted to run to the white-haired man and hold him forever.

This whole thing was absolutely stupid since he didn't even like Sion that way. No matter what he thought, the dramatic side of him (the human side) always tried to translate his feeling into romance. He hated it. The worst thing about Nezumi's situation was the existence of time. Time did not work the same way for a rat as it did for a human. Rats were just there and then they would die. Humans broke down time into countable units and lived by it. Nezumi hated the suffocating panic he felt when he realized how little time he had left as a human. He hated how his dreams increased the panic feeling.

Now that he had a deadline time seemed to be going ridiculously fast. It felt like he would blinked and a month past. At the castle, the ground had defrosted and Sion and Nezumi started to plant. Then before he could wrap his mind around it, more time past and soon small buds started appearing in the ground. Nezumi's days had become a whirlwind of activity. If he wasn't practicing at the theater he was read or hanging with Sion. He had started staking out in Sion's library more often in order to get reading and seeing Sion at the same time. With his time limited he found casual evenings disappearing. He no longer could enjoying doing nothing. It felt like a waste of time.

The only good thing that came out of this limited time was that his relationship with Cinderella improved. After he explained the fairy godmother's deal with her, she became more agreeable. Now that she knew he was leaving soon she chastised him less. The girl even let him spend more time with Sion without randomly showing up. Nezumi also found her easier to deal with. When there was a conflict, he just reminded himself that he wouldn't need to listen to her much longer. That thought would calm him.

Nezumi sighed again in the dark and turned over again frustrated. Sleep apparently wasn't going to return. After a minute or so he stiffly got to his feet and quietly crossed the library looking for a book to read. He didn't need a candle, preferring to read by moonlight. As he crossed the room his eyes landed on a wrapped package. Nezumi almost forgot that today was Sion's birthday. At first, he wasn't planning on getting the prince a gift. He thought it was a stupid human tradition. After a while though he decided that he did want to get Sion something. Since the white-haired man had finished reading enough books to have a good foundation, Nezumi had gotten him a rare text. After one of the dark-haired man's performances he met a fan who traveled from another country. She had shown Nezumi the book and Nezumi had bought it from her. The text was a little to cheesy for Nezumi's liking but it still has rich language and engaging characters. Sion would enjoy it immensely.

Nezumi scowled at the package. Thinking about the book only made him want to see Sion again. The dream was still vivid in his mind and he didn't had the strength to fight it this late at night. There was no way Nezumi could distract himself with his collection of books. He needed a wider selection. he dark-haired man sighed as he grabbed a few things and headed to the window. If his library wasn't going to satisfy his needs he would go to Sion's library.

.

.

"Nezumi?"

Nezumi groaned and open his eyes, blinking in the morning sunlight. He was at a table in Sion's library lying on an open book. In front of him a pair of red eyes peered into his. When Sion saw that Nezumi was awake he pulled his head back.

"What?" Nezumi yawned sitting up and stretching.

"What are you doing here?" Sion asked. "I know you went home yesterday.

"Couldn't sleep."

"Did you have a bad dream?"

"Not exactly." Nezumi did not feel like explaining his dream to Sion, especially since it was the white-haired man's fault to begin with. If he didn't confess, then Nezumi wouldn't be this confused.

"Well whatever the reason is, I'm glad to see you." Sion beamed. "Waking up and finding you here is a great birthday present."

"You make it sound like I didn't get you anything." Nezumi scoffed. Sion eyes widened in excitement.

"Did you?" he asked uncertainty. Nezumi rolled his eyes and handed him the gift. Sion took it eagerly then paused.

"Can I open it?" he asked tentatively. Nezumi snorted.

"Why would I give it to you if you couldn't open it."

Sion laughed and tore open the packaging. He gasped; his eyes brimmed with happiness.

"Oh Nezumi." He sighed softly. Nezumi watched Sion trace over the title letters of the book, feeling immensely pleased with himself.

"I got it from a fan visiting the country. I doubt you have this one in your library."

"I don't" Sion breathed, opening the book. The actor chuckled as he sat down with his book. He felt calm, sitting there with Sion. The prince's presents made the room warm and comfortable. Nezumi half read his book and half watched Sion's entertaining face expressions. Nezumi felt his heart and mind calm down as the dreams faded completely. It was times like this that he wanted to go on forever. Sadly it had to end and after only a half an hour there was a loud hammering on the door.

"Your highness!" Sir William's voice called. "We need get ready for your birthday ceremony! You can't hide in the library all day." Sion looked up from his book blinking surprised.

"Oh sorry!" he said quickly closing the book and rushing to the library door. He opened it and stepped aside as the knight entered. Sir Williams took one look at Nezumi and his face darkened. Nezumi smiled back.

"I have go." Sion said turning to Nezumi. "Will you stay for my birthday ceremony and ball?"

"It would be an honor your highness." Nezumi said dramatic, with a mock bow. Sir Williams glowered and Sion giggled.

"Alright see you then!" Sion practically skipped off. The knight shot Nezumi one more look before turning and stomping away. Nezumi watched them go. He wasn't sure what to expect for the birthday ceremony, but he was curious.

.

It turned out that royal birthday ceremony was high on Nezumi's list of things he disliked. In typical human fashion there was a lot of fanfare without much substance. He and the other guest were ushered into their seats in a grand hall. Then swelling music started and all of the noble knights stood in a row, their lances making an archway for Sion to walk through. The prince trotted up to the middle of the king's room and sat on the throne. Then came the speeches. First the queen stood and gave a speech. Then Sir William, then two or three nobles gave a speech. Finally, Sion stood up and gave a speech. Nezumi disliked Sion's speech. It was stuffy and lacked Sion's character. There was nothing in his words to indicate the crazy, enthusiastic prince who loved bad weather and flowers. To make it worse Cinderella sat next to him and listened with wrapped attention. Her annoying gasps and tears only add to his disdain. The only good thing that came out of the ceremony was Sion himself. The prince wore robes of silver and maroon that drew out the color of his hair and eyes. His velvet cloak hung over his shoulders and framed his small figure perfectly. Nezumi found himself staring. Sion looked amazing. The prince always looked nice in his own way but tonight he looked like a king. Tonight, Sion was the king from stories of old. He looked like illustrations that Nezumi found in stories books about knights and kings. This Sion was the opposite of the wild Sion that played in storms. Even so both versions of Sion were strangely enchanting.

Before Nezumi knew it, everyone was clapping and getting up. The dark-haired man pulled his eyes away from Sion and followed. He hadn't even noticed that the ceremony had ended. Once again, he found himself unnerved by Sion's strange power.

Afterwards the guest went the ballroom. The room was bigger than Nezumi had expected. He never thought much of the ball he had missed when he first turned into a human, but now, standing they're in the grand room with music swell, he begruntle admitted the appeal. This was human fanfare with substance. There was movement, dancing, food, talking, and laughter. It was far livelier than the stiff ceremony he was forced to endure.

As the music started up again Cinderella and Sion entered the dance floor. Many of the guests turned to watch as the two of them began to dance. Whispering conversations started up around Nezumi.

"So that's the mysterious girl from the prince's first ball? She's quite beautiful."

"Isn't see a peasant? My daughter is better."

"Please my son is closer in age, surely he would be a better fit for the prince."

Nezumi tried to tune them out. For some reason he found their gossiped aggravating. Sion was better than half of these people. Nezumi had the misfortune of meeting many of the young nobles when he had decided to roam the castle. The dark-haired man was not impressed. Nezumi pushed down his disgruntled feelings. It didn't matter what they said, Sion would never fall for any of them. The prince may acted like a perfect gentle in their presents, but that just showed how unimportant they were to him. If Sion was interested in someone, he became excited and annoying. He wanted to know more about them and pushed them to talk about themselves. Then he would get invested in their hobbies and try to get them to do his. Both Cinderella and Nezumi were victims of Sion's overly chatty nature.

"You know the prince doesn't care about birth." Another noble said snapping Nezumi's thoughts back to the ball. "I for one think they make a great couple."

"I have to agree. Look at them dance! Can you think of something more beautiful than two young lovers dancing?"

Nezumi gritted his teeth. Although he agreed that Cinderella would be the best option for Sion, he still hated it. Besides, what Sion and Cinderella were doing could hardly be considered dancing. Sion managed to step on Cinderella's toes almost at each beat. Cinderella herself wasn't much better and kept bonking heads with the prince. They would then both laugh and continue stumbling around. After watching them for a few minutes Nezumi finally concluded that their dancing was what had bothered him so. It had nothing to do with his feelings for Sion. They were just hard to watch. When the song came to an end and the two of them bowed, Nezumi couldn't take it anymore. He stormed onto the dance floor and held out his hand to Sion.

"Nezumi?" Sion said surprised. Nezumi scold at him.

"Dance with me." He said. "Before I have that disaster you two called waltzing stuck in my head forever." Cinderella, who was standing a few feet away, huffed angerly. Sion laughed lightly.

"We were really bad weren't we." He said as he took Nezumi's hand.

"I almost tore my eyes out watching you." Nezumi pulled Sion closer as the music started up. He began leading the white-haired man across the dance floor. Almost instinctively Sion's feet began matching Nezumi's. After a few seconds of stumbling Sion got in perfect sync with the dark-haired man. They fluttered and glided in perfect harmony with the music. The dance floor was their world, the music the substance the sustained them. It was only the two of them that mattered. They were unstoppable. Sion felt right in Nezumi's arms the way no one else had. The dark-haired man had danced plenty of times with random actors and actresses for shows but non fit against him like the prince. It was like Sion was a part of Nezumi that he didn't realize was missing until now. The dark-haired man looked down at Sion and found the smaller man starting up in awe.

"You're amazing!" he gasped. "You never danced with like this me before!"

"Of course not. I held back. You were so bad." Nezumi said smugly. Sion's eyes filled with mirth.

"In the case I must have improved." Sion's pleasure made Nezumi heart pound. He suddenly remembered why he had stopped dancing with Sion in the first place. It made him feel things he knew he shouldn't be feeling. It made him see Sion in a different light. He knew his feelings about Sion, and this just confused things farther. After the prince's confession, Nezumi tried to distance himself by not allowing himself to near the prince. Now all those feelings to return.

Nezumi bit back his frustration and picked up the rate of their movements. Sion easily copied him, his body seeming to adjust to Nezumi's automatically. Nezumi spun Sion around and the prince closed his eyes and leaned back. When Nezumi pulled him in again Sion's eyes were open and the wildness had returned. It took a moment for the dark-haired man to realize it. He had only seen that look in Sion's eyes when they were walking in storms. Without him noticing Sion suddenly took the lead. Pulling the dark-haired man in a wild dance, guided only by his emotions. Nezumi let him guide, only taking control if they needed to adjust their stance. It was a sensation he had never felt before. He could just let go and embrace Sion's madness. His feelings, his concerns didn't matter. It didn't matter that he was a rat and Sion was a human. Here in their dance Nezumi was consent with life.

All too soon the song ended. Nezumi saw Sion blink as they slowed down, all earlier emotions gone from his eyes, leaving regular Sion behind. They bowed to each other.

"S-s-sorry." Sion panted. "I don't know what came over me." Nezumi came up from his bow as he became aware of clapping.

"It's fine." He said. "Matter of fact you were amazing back there." Sion's face turned red.

"No way!" he sputtered. "You were guiding me! I was just following."

"Not at the end you weren't" Nezumi smiled. Sion ducked his head in embarrassment. Around him people were muttered about the couple.

"Is that Eve?"

"What's he doing here?!"

"I didn't know the prince invited actors."

"Did you see that dance?"

"That was magnificent. I wonder how long they practiced it."

Nezumi glanced around wearily. He had wanted to remain anonymous at this party, but it looked it was too late. He could see some of his fans making their way towards him. Sion tugged on his arm.

"Come on." He said, "Let's go somewhere more private." Nezumi let Sion pull him off the dance floor and through a back door to the royal garden. As they past the doorway Sion turned to one of the guards stationed there.

"Make sure no one bothers us." He said. The guard bowed and they passed through. Nezumi shot Sion a grateful look. Once outside they stood on the overhand looking down at the garden. It was still slightly chilly out but not to bad. In the fresh air Nezumi felt alive again. After a few minutes of enjoying the silence Sion spoke,

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For dancing with me. I was hoping you would." Sion smiled was radiant. Nezumi didn't answer. After a couple minutes Sion continued,

"Mom's garden looks nice."

"Ours is better." Nezumi said. "It's more practical."

"True." Sion laughed, "But this garden is important to me too… this exact spot is important." Nezumi raised an eyebrow turning to the prince.

"Oh, why's that?"

Sion turned to Nezumi, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

"This is the spot where I met you."

Nezumi remembered. He remembered crouching on the rail watching through the doorway as figures dance around the room. He remembered the random whited-haired human who walked through the door and decided to talk to him. How would he have known that the random human who he had a conversation with would become so important to him.

"Nezumi." Sion serious tone shook Nezumi out of his thoughts. "We need to talk." The dark-haired man stiffened. He knew what Sion wanted to talk about. "I know you want to avoid the topic, but I think it should be addressed."

"You have the worst timing." Nezumi groaned. "We were having a nice night and now you want to talk about…that." He couldn't say it. He didn't want to talk about it.

"If you don't feel the same way then just reject me," Sion said softly. "But by staying quite I feel like I still have a chance with you…." He looked down at the garden again. "I didn't want to bring it up because I was afraid to hurt our friendship, but it's been months now…I can't keep on wondering and hoping." He shut his eyes tight. "It's driving me crazy." Nezumi stared at him before turning his attention to the garden. They stood there in silence for a few minutes.

"I'm sorry." Nezumi finally said. "I didn't mean to hurt you." He turned to Sion. The white-haired man turned to him, a sad expression on his face. Nezumi took a deep breath and opened his mouth. Tonight, he would reject Sion's feelings and clear the air between them.

Seconds rolled by and Nezumi just stood.

Finally, he gave up and closed his mouth again, frustrated. Why was this so hard. Suddenly his frustration gave out and he gave up. He was tired of struggling with his emotions. Who cared anymore? It didn't matter. Nezumi was filled with the feeling of reckless abandonment. He was going to turn into a rat again in a couple of months anyways, how could it hurt to let Sion enjoy himself? As long as the prince understood it was temporal then it would be fine. It wasn't like Nezumi felt the same way. He would show that stupid part of him that they were just friends. He and Sion would enjoy a couple of months dating then Nezumi would break it off.

"Alright." Nezumi said. "I accept your feelings." Sion stared at him blankly for a moment.

"Huh?" He finally said stupidly.

"I said I accept your feelings." Nezumi said frustrated. Was he missing something? He didn't know enough about humans' mating traditions to know if he was doing it right. Sion continue to stare.

"Does that mean you want to go out?" the prince finally asks, a spark of hope in his voice.

"Yes." Nezumi said slowly. Sion gave a small sob of relief and hugged Nezumi. The dark-haired man pulled Sion away.

"Hold on." He said. "Before we start dating, we need to go over some things."

"What things?" Sion asked confused.

"Conditions." Nezumi said. Sion's face fell.

"First of all…" Nezumi bit his lip unsure how to phrase what he wanted to say. "I think it would be best…. if this was…. not permanent." Nezumi continued.

"What do you mean?" Sion asked anxiously.

"I mean we can only go out for a little while then we need to…split."

"How long?"

"Up to a year." Nezumi hated how hurt Sion looked. The prince bit his lip and looked down at his hand.

"Does it need to be temporal?" he whispered.

"Yes"

"And you won't change your mind on this?"

"No."

Sion took a few deep breaths and straightened up. To Nezumi's surprise he had a small smiling on his face.

"Since I'm the one who's pushing my feelings on you, I understand if you don't want to do this long term. Any time with you is better than no time. I agree with your condition."

"Thank you." Nezumi breathed. Now that the hard part was out of the way he felt lighter.

"Any other conditions?" Sion asked worriedly.

"Yeah, there's two more." Nezumi said, then seeing the strained look on Sion's face he quickly added. "But neither are as hard as the first one. The second one is that I want our relationship to remain a secret from everyone. This includes your mother, Sir William, and Cinderella." Sion's face lightened.

"That one isn't to bad." He said thoughtfully. "Although I hate lying to them, if we're only going out for a little while then it would probably be better to keep it a secret." He chuckled. "That way I won't need to have a "serious talk" with Sir Williams. I agree to that condition." Nezumi smiled. Sion was getting better at seeing the bigger picture. He knew that everyone would feel scandalized if the prince was dating the famous actor. Although actors were loved by nobles, they didn't like mingling with them. Nezumi didn't want to spend his remaining time as a human fighting with nobles.

"For the last condition." Nezumi leaned against the rail surveying Sion. "I want to stay at your library while we're dating." Sion blinked in surprise before laughing.

"You don't need that as one of your conditions, you could do that anyways."

"My how generous." Nezumi smiled.

"My home is your home." Sion said, "and my library is your library."

So, you agree to all the terms?"

"Yeah."

"Very well." Nezumi pushed himself off the rail and turned to Sion. He gazed down into Sion's dark red eyes. "Then from this moment on we are now officially dating." He leaned forward and kissed Sion's forehead. The prince closed his eyes and pressed against Nezumi, wrapping his arms around him. Nezumi copied him and they stood like that under the full moon enjoying each other's presents.


	9. Chapter 9

A week after Sion's birthday ceremony, Nezumi and Sion planned their first date. They decided to start simple and go star gazing. Sion cooked up a snack in the kitchen; then waited in his room for Nezumi to sneak him out. Around 11:00 Nezumi showed and whisked the prince away. They were now lying on a blanket under the endless starry sky.

"And that one is Orion the Hunter" Sion said pointing up to the constellation.

"I feel like I heard about him before." Nezumi muttered as he looked to where Sion was pointing.

"You probably read him in a Greek myth." said Sion.

"Ahh," Nezumi said. "Where did you learn these?"

"I had to take classes on Astronomy when I was younger" Sion said propping himself up on one elbow to face Nezumi. Sion still remembered the hours he spent staring through a telescope while his Astronomy teacher droned on. He had hated those classes. The sky didn't hold to much interest to him. It was too far and distant. Now however he was thankful for the long hours spent learning about the sky. It gave him something to show Nezumi.

"I see." Nezumi propped himself up on one arm to face Sion. He reached forward and took the prince's hand. Sion giggled shyly and squeezed the dark-haired man's hand.

"You know." Nezumi said nonchalantly. "I should show you a way to get in and out of the castle yourself. That way I don't need to keep picking you up for dates." Sion perked up excitedly.

"Really?!" he gasped. Nezumi snorted in amusement.

"Yeah, yeah," he said waving a dismissive hand, sitting up. "And speaking of future dates, you get to choose what we do next time." Sion sat up as wel and tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"You don't want to be near people since that might clue them in that we're dating." Sion said slowly.

"I don't mind being around people as long as no one can recognize us."

"Hmm" Sion said thoughtfully "Maybe we can get a boat and sail around the coast."

"That'll work" Nezumi said "I haven't been on a boat before."

"Really?" Sion said mildly. "So, did you come to this country by land." Nezumi raised an eyebrow.

"Who said I wasn't born and raised in this country." He asked. Sion gave him a look.

"My men searched the whole country for anyone who knows your history. Other than Cinderella you are unknown to everyone else."

"Ah," Nezumi said softly. Sion waited a moment, but it didn't seem like Nezumi was going to answer him.

"You're so secretive." The prince muttered. Nezumi gently put his arms around him.

"Don't be so sulky your highness." He said. Sion rolled his eyes and leaned into Nezumi's arms. Nezumi hesitated before pulling the prince closer. He leaned forward and planted a kiss on the white-haired man's head. Sion closed his eyes and buried himself deeper in Nezumi's arms. The dark-haired man smelled good, like ink and paper. It almost made Sion feel like he was in a library.

"Hey, don't fall asleep on me." Nezumi said pulling Sion back a little.

"I wasn't going to." Sion said taking the actor's hand and softly planting a kiss on his knuckles. Instantly Nezumi froze up. Sion pulled back to look him fully in the face. Nezumi's expression hadn't changed but his whole body was tense and on alert.

"You don't like it when I kiss you." Sion observed.

"It's not that. I'm…. just not used to it."

"Don't people kiss where you come from?" Sion asked surprised. He had never heard of a place that didn't using kissing as a form of romance.

"Mouths are for eating or biting. I never head of kissing until I was here. I really don't understand it." Nezumi frowned. "Why would you trust someone to put their mouth so close to you? What if they bite you?"

"Why would someone do that?" Sion asked.

"Same reason people hit and push during fights." Nezumi noticed Sion's surprised expression turned away. "I guess that sounds strange to you."

"You don't seem to have a problem kissing me." Sion pointed out.

"I've had practices during plays." Nezumi scolded. "I didn't have a choice there." Sion observer him. He didn't realize that Nezumi grew up in such a different culture then him. The dark-haired man always seemed to fit in well. Sion thought of it for a minute before remembering when he first met Nezumi. The dark-haired man had acted extremely strange. Sion now saw that it was probably because of his different upbringing.

"Alright, so you don't want me to kiss you." Sion concluded. "And you don't need to kiss me if you don't want to." Nezumi bit his lip and looked up at the sky again.

"I do want to kiss you." Nezumi admitted. "And you can kiss me…. but not on my mouth, throat, chest, or stomach."

"Why those places?" Sion asked curious.

"Because I don't want you to bite my tongue off or rip out my throat or stomach." Nezumi said dryly.

"Do you think I'm going to do that?" Sion asked.

"Probably not, but if you try to kiss me in any of those places my instincts will kick in and I'll punch you."

"Right, so no lips, throat, chest, or stomach." Sion checked them off his fingers. Anywhere else?"

"No…" Nezumi said slowly. "I'll probably still tense up when you kiss me. I'm still not used to it." Sion moved forward until he was only a few inches away from Nezumi's face.

"Do you want me to help getting used to it?" the prince asked in a low voice putting a figure on Nezumi's cheek.

"Was that your attempt at being sexy?" Nezumi asked raising an eyebrow. Sion pulled back blushing.

"Did it work?"

"Hmmm." Nezumi looked Sion over a smile on his lips. "Maybe." He leaned forward and kissed Sion's cheek. Sion giggled.

"Just so you know you're allowed to kiss me anywhere. I mean I suppose not my lips since I would have to kiss yours then, but anywhere else."

Nezumi looked at the white-haired ma solemnly.

"That's to much trust Sion." He whispered, "You're not my mate-…I mean you don't know me that well."

"I trust you." Sion said softly. Nezumi hummed and leaned forward hesitantly before giving Sion a quick peck on the neck. The dark-haired man pulled back looking extremely satisfied with himself. Sion felt a warm sensation in his chest as he watched Nezumi. The prince wasn't sure where the dark-haired man came from, but he found Nezumi fascinating.

"Kissing you is oddly satisfying." Nezumi muttered has he pulled Sion close to him again.

"I'm glad you hear it." Sion laughed. They lay there for a while, enjoying each other's company. They were interrupted by a protest from Sion's stomach.

"Sounds like you're hungry." Nezumi said as he sat up. Sion blushed again.

"I brought a snack." The prince pulled away and rummaging in his basket. He reemerged with a small cherry pie. "I made this."

"You made it?" Nezumi said raising an eyebrow. "I didn't know you knew how to cook."

"My mother cooked as a hobby. When I was younger, she taught me how to make pastries and sweets." Sion beamed. "Try a piece." He pulled out a small knife and two plates. He cut Nezumi a slice and handed it to him. The dark-haired man took it and bit into it chewing slowly. Sion watched him nervously. He didn't know why but it mattered if Nezumi liked the pie or not.

"It's good!" Nezumi said sounding surprise. Sion relaxed as he took a piece himself.

"I'm glad you like it." He said his mouth full of pie. They ate in silence for a few seconds before Sion said softly,

"You know, my dad used to love cherry pie. He died when I was very little. My mom used to make it every year for my birthday but…" Sion looked down at his plate. "I guess she just got busy. We don't cook together anymore. We barely talk to each other. Sometimes I wonder if things would be different if my father was still alive." Nezumi had put down his plate and took Sion's hand.

"I'm sorry." He said, "Were you close to your father?"

"I don't actually remember him." Sion gave a little laugh, "It's strange isn't it. Missing someone you don't remember."

"Not really." Nezumi said. "When you get attached to someone it's hard to completely forget them." Sion surveyed the dark-haired man's face.

"Is that why you don't like getting close to people."

"Part of the reason." Nezumi shrugged. "I also just don't like people."

"I noticed." Sion laughed. Then he paused. Usually Nezumi didn't like talking about his past, but he was opening up tonight more than usual. Sion decided to take a chances. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Depends on the question." Nezumi said stiffly.

"Do you miss your family?"

Nezumi stared at him for a couple of seconds before relaxing.

"Of all the questions that wasn't the one I was expecting" Nezumi snorted. "No, I don't miss them." He cocked his head thoughtfully. "We weren't close at all…" he smirked. "my parents kicked me out of the ne-house as soon as I was old enough to fend for myself." Sion's mouth fell open in shook.

"That's terrible!" he gasped. Nezumi laughed.

"Not really. Where I came from that was normal."

"Your country sounds like a hard place to live." Sion said. "No wonder you don't like people."

"I wouldn't really consider them people…" Nezumi took another bite of pie. Sion looked at him confused but Nezumi didn't elaborate so he continued.

"Do you have sibling?"

"Plenty. Don't like them ether. I fought with my sisters and brothers over food." Nezumi looked up at the stars "I wasn't very popular, so I ended up getting kicked out of the colony. It's fine though, I rather be on my own."

"So, you're from one of the colonies?" Sion asked trying to hide his excitement. Nezumi glanced over at him amused.

"Trust me, that information isn't as useful as you think it is." Nezumi batted Sion's arm playfully. Sion laughed as he made a mental note to research more about the colonies. No matter what Nezumi said he thought that information could be useful.

A soft breeze blew, and Sion shivered a little.

"It's getting late maybe we should head bac-"

"No!" Sion cried. He didn't want the evening to end. Nezumi sighed.

"Alright then." He took off his jacket and wrapped it around the two of them. Sion snuggled in closer. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly listening to the sounds of the night and Nezumi's heartbeat. It was a beautiful evening. Sion was happier at that moment they he had been for most of his life. Here he wasn't Prince Sion; here he didn't have responsibilities; here he didn't need to be anything. He was just Nezumi's Sion.

.

.

"Hey Sion."

A finger jabbed the prince in the stomach. "It's time to wake up." Sion groaned and leaned in close to his heat source. The finger moved up and poked at his ribs.

"Stop." Sion mumbled.

"Not until you get up" Nezumi's annoyed voice rang out. "My arm's fallen asleep and it's almost three in the morning." He pushed Sion off of him. The prince gave a squeak of protest and pulled Nezumi's jacket closer around him. "You're exhausted. We should go back."

"No, I'm good, I was just resting my eyes." Sion yawned trying to blink sleep out of his eyes. Nezumi looked unconvinced.

"You look ready to pass out again." Nezumi said.

"I'm wide awake." Sion flopped forward on Nezumi's lap. The dark-haired man clicked his tongue in annoyance. After a moment the dark-haired man started to get up. Sion fell out of his lap and rolled in the grass.

"Nezumi!" he complained.

"Come on let's go." Nezumi's unsympathetic voice rang as he pulled Sion to his feet. The prince staggered for a moment before getting his balance.

"Does this mean our date is over?" Sion's voice came out pathetically quieted.

"Yep." Nezumi noticed the sad look on Sion's face and added "but we'll have another one soon."

"Really?"

"Really."

Promise?"

Nezumi leaned down close to him and ran his fingers through the prince's hair. Sion closed his eyes at the contact.

"Promise."

Sion nodded tiredly and let his body relaxing into Nezumi's shoulder. His added weight dragged both of them back to the ground.

"Hey wake up." The finger was back again, poking him on his cheek. Sion mumbled but couldn't muster the energy to move his head.

"I'm not carrying you back." The finger poked hard moving down to his stomach. Sion mumbled again and pulled his legs up to protect his belly. Nezumi sighed.

"You're such a baby. What am I going to do about you?" He grumbled. Sion felt Nezumi stand again and then felt himself being lifted up. "Come on. You need to put a little effort in." Sion stumbled as he took a staggering step forward, leaning on Nezumi for support.

.

.

When Sion next woke up, he found himself in his bedroom. Morning light was streaming through his window causing the prince to blink in the sudden brightness. He was still wearing the same outfit as he was last night. It took Sion a few seconds to realize that Nezumi was gone and their date was over. He felt a twinge of sadness. Now that the night was down, Sion was back to his normal life. With a groan the prince pulled himself out of bed. As he did, he noticed his basket was sitting on a side table. Lying on top of it was a note.

 _Next time we're leaving earlier. I'm not carrying you back to your bed again. I took the rest of the pie as compensation. If you need to find me, I'll be in the library._

 _-Nezumi_

Sion smiled softly as he read the note. This was only the first date. There would be more to come. They had only had one date and he was already looking forward to the second one. The prince flopped back on his bed and hugged his pillow, his happiness returned.

.

.

Dating Sion was more fun than Nezumi originally thought it would be. The dark-haired didn't know much about how humans found a mate but from the stories and plays it seemed like a lot of drama and mouth kissing. Date Sion didn't have either of those things. Since they kept their relationship a secret there was no drama and the prince respected his request to not kiss on the mouth. Sion always tried his best during dates so Nezumi tried to open up to him a little more. Without directly telling Sion the truth (he was still not ready for that) he gave bits and pieces of his history. For some reason this always made Sion very happy. To the prince, dating was supposed to be fun. It meant sneaking out of the castle and trying new things. Then after that they would sit back and chat while snuggling. The hardest part of dating Sion was ending the date. Sion did everything in his power to make dates go on as long as possible. If Sion ended up falling asleep, he was impossible to wake. If woken he would become a child and Nezumi would have to carry him to bed.

After star gazing, the next date was a boat trip around the coast. Then after that the they went hiking around a nearby forest. Soon they were trying all sorts of things such as fishing, secret baking sessions, and long walks through towns. Nezumi even convinced Sion to go into a cave with him. The last one was an entertaining experience. The prince panicked halfway down the long dark winding tunnel claiming they were lost. Nezumi explained that he could see where they were going and new exactly how to get out, but Sion would hear nothing about it. The dark-haired man ended up bring them back to ground level. After that he mocked Sion ruthless for chickening out.

Nezumi and Sion also started exploring the nearby towns. They had to be more careful when they did this. Even with disguise someone still might recognize them. They went to all the bookstores and libraries as well as small shops and restaurants. Nezumi even convinced Sion to go to a tavern once and have a drink. He would never make the prince drink again. After one drink Sion was so intoxicated that he started making stupid love poems on the spot about Nezumi. It was embarrassing for both of them and nether would bring it up again.

Nezumi never thought about all the things he hadn't tried before. As a rat he just existed. It didn't matter if he tried something new or not. With Sion however he found himself eager to learn more about the world around him. Sion's excitement was contagious. After an hour of fishing and listening to the prince's excited comments about each fish they caught, Nezumi found himself enjoying fishing. Anything that he did with Sion was their thing. Nezumi liked that he didn't need to share Sion during these times with anyone else. This was a side of Sion no one else knew about.

When they weren't dating, or when Nezumi wasn't at work, they hung at Sion's library. These times were more peaceful then their dates. Sion would sneak into his library and snuggle with Nezumi. They rarely spoke, they didn't need to. Sion would just patter in and place himself against Nezumi. Then the dark-haired man would pull the prince into his arms and continue reading. He like that the prince could show up any time of the day or night and just stay with him.

Although no one knew they were dating, their actions didn't go unnoticed by the staff and Sion's family. Nezumi heard the maids and knights, whispering among themselves. The rumors ranged from Nezumi sweet talking himself into an important role like an advisor to Nezumi trying to steal the royal crown. Sir Williams thought Nezumi wanted to murder or kidnap Sion. He made his suspicions clear when he corned Nezumi one day and demanded to know what he was plotting. The knight threatened that if Nezumi put a hand on Sion or hurt him in any way, he would see the actor hang. Nezumi found the whole conversation amusing. It was hard to keep a straight face after that "chat". He had already lay a finger on Sion, more than a figure actually. If Sir Williams knew their relationship, he would blow a fuse. It pleased Nezumi to know that he had this secret with Sion. He was still feeling smug when he returned to the library where Sion as reading. The prince noticed right away.

"You seem awfully smug today." The white-haired man closed his book and observed Nezumi. "What happened?"

"Nothing important." Nezumi shrugged. He didn't think it was a good idea to tell Sion about Sir William's threat. He still remembered how well the prince took the last time the knight and Nezumi had a confrontation.

"Hmmmm," Sion said unconvinced.

"What are you reading?" Nezumi asked changing the subject. Sion shot him a look.

"It's a book of short stories. Right now, I'm on _The Little Mermaid_."

"Ahhh." Nezumi smirked. "Tell me when you finish it." Sion narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"Why? How does it end?"

Nezumi's smirk grew into a full fledge smile.

"It ends badly, doesn't it." Sion said tonelessly.

"I didn't say that." Nezumi said mildly.

"I'm guessing she doesn't end up with the prince?"

"Hmmmmm I wonder." Nezumi sat down and pulled over another book.

"Fine don't tell me." Sion huffed opening the book again. Nezumi hummed and went back to reading his own story. After another ten minutes Sion gave a groan of despair.

"That's horrible!" he cried. "Not only does she not marry the prince, but she ends up dying?! Why?"

"Because life isn't fair." Nezumi looking up from his book to find Sion stared at him with a grumpy pouty face. It was too much for Nezumi who felt his heart flutter. He closed his book and gave Sion his full attention.

"She should have found a way to tell him the truth! She was the one who saved him from the shipwreck. It's not fair that the other woman got the credit."

"One's a human and one's a mermaid. One belongs to the sea and one belongs to land. They're different. Naturally they wouldn't end up together,"

"But why? Just because one had a fin and one had legs."

"It's more then that." Nezumi scooted closer to Sion. "They grew up in completely different worlds. The sea has no kingdoms, only mermaids living free. This means she doesn't understand some of the basic rules of land. Even if she wants to be human, she will eventually regret becoming one. The human's world is extremely restrictive with too many rules and laws. She wouldn't be free. And the prince doesn't even know she's different. How is he supposed to understand her? He would probably be horrified to learn that she wasn't the same species as him until only recently,"

"I still think they could be happy together." Sion muttered. "It shouldn't matter what she used to be."

"How would you feel if someone close to you turned out to be a different species?" Nezumi asked. Sion thought for a moment before answering

"I would be surprised but it wouldn't change my feelings about that person. I mean who they are now is more important than who they were." Sion turned to Nezumi. "Would it matter to you if someone close was a different species?"

Nezumi's heart pounded. Even though it was a hypothetical question Sion's words made him happy. It was nice to know that Sion would not hate him if he ever decided to tell him the truth. At that moment Nezumi wanted to kiss Sion. No on the cheek or forehead but on his mouth. It was strange how his human side desired something so weird. Despite his desires he knew he couldn't act on them. If Nezumi kissed Sion, he would punch him out of instinct. It was frustrating. The only person he kissed on the lips was an actor for a play. After socking the man, he learned a staged kiss that allowed him to appear as if he was kissing without doing so. Right now, though he wanted to really kiss Sion. There was something about the prince's lips that drew Nezumi in. Kissing Sion in general turned out to be more fun and pleasing then he first thought it would be. He only kissed Sion at first to make the prince happy. Now it was something he enjoyed. There wasn't a single area on Sion's body, excluding his mouth, that Nezumi hadn't kissed. Sion had respected Nezumi's wishes and did not kiss any area that made him uncomfortable. Instead of feeling relived the dark-haired man felt aggravated. He wanted Sion to claim him like he had claimed Sion.

"Nezumi?" the prince' voice broke through dark-haired man 's thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"You didn't answer the question. Would it matter to you if someone close was a different species?"

Nezumi looked at Sion. He looked at the human that he wanted to take as his mate. He looked at the human he wanted to claim him as his own.

"No, it wouldn't matter."

"See!" Sion exclaimed. "Therefore, the mermaid and the prince should end up together!"

"Yeah." Nezumi mumbled only half listening. He knew that if he truly wanted to kiss Sion on the lips, he would need to work through his problems. To do that he would need to rewire how he viewed mouth to mouth contact. It would be difficult, but Nezumi knew over time he would be able to do it.

Then he would kiss Sion.


	10. Chapter 10

As the weather continued to warm up, the plants in Sion's and Nezumi's garden continued to grow. The couple found themselves working longer in the garden, weeding and tending it. It was amazing to see the small green buds, that appeared in the ground, spring up into stocks and vine. Sion enthusiasm seemed to grow with his plants. When they first started working, he was interested in their type and functionality. Now however he had made a personal connection with the plants. He started speaking to them as if they could hear him and gave a few of his favorite's names. Nezumi teased him lightly about it much to the prince's dismay. Usually Nezumi would have mocked him ruthlessly but he found it endearing. Sion put so much love and care into everything he did.

"Sir Tomato Erpingham is growing nicely" Sion said pleased. "We should have some tomatoes in a couple of weeks."

"Oh good." Nezumi said as he spread fertilizer around the base of a small bush. "Then we can try that "tomato tart" you want to make." He paused and smiled evilly at Sion, "And I'll collect the rotting ones to throw at you when you read a book out loud."

"Hey, I'm not that bad!" Sion huffed as he pulled out some weeds.

"Your voice sounds like wood. Classics were never meant to be read in monotone. I've heard children read with more expression then you. You assassinate the book's auto quality." Nezumi sighed and looked sadly over at Sion. "At night I still hear Homer's and Shakespeare's cries of, " _Avenge us Nezumi!_ " Your crimes have not gone unnoticed."

"Oh stop." Sion rolled his eyes and lightly wacked Nezumi on the arm. The dark-haired man chucked as he got back to work. After a few minutes Sion wiped his forehead and glanced up at the sky.

"It's gotten so warm out. Summer will be here before we know it."

"Then some of our fruit will be ripe enough to pick." Nezumi said. He was looking forward to eating fresh fruit. He loved fruit when he was a rat and his enjoyment of them only increased as a human. Sion shot him a knowing look and Nezumi glanced away. Although the dark-haired man never told him, the prince was able to figure out Nezumi's weakness. Now every time they went on a date there was always a snack of fruit available. Sion even went as far to bribe Nezumi with strawberries once when the actor didn't want to spend the day at a gardening meet. Nezumi got the impression that hanging around him had made the innocent prince's dark side grow.

"Anyways, we better hurry up and finish." The dark-haired man muttered. "You have to meet some nobles for lunch, right? I won't work in the garden if you're not here." Sion's face fell.

"Don't remind me." He groaned. "I rather eat lunch with you." Then his eyes lit up. "oh yeah I wanted to show you something!" he grabbed Nezumi's hand and guided him to the far side of the garden. Look! Sleeping Beauty has reached adulthood."

Nezumi's eyes followed to where the prince was indicating. There, in full bloom was the Coral Rose. It had sprouted beautiful buds of yellow and red.

"It's grown nicely." Nezumi observed. Sion beamed.

"I know!" he said. "We can pick some now!"

"Is that a good idea?" Nezumi asked hesitantly.

"It'll be fine!" Sion said as he picked up his clippers and snipped off one of the stems. The prince handed the flower to Nezumi. Nezumi took it in his hand, happiness blooming in his chest. He still remembered the conversation they had about the flower all those months ago.

"This rose represents the mixture of friendship and romance, right?" Nezumi said softly looking down at the plant.

"Yeah the yellow is friendship and red is romance." Sion said smiling. Nezumi looked at Sion. There was something about this plant that fit so well with their relationship. Although they were dating there was still elements of their friendship mixed into it. It made dating both romantic and fun.

"Of course, it has other uses as well." Sion said snapping Nezumi out of his thoughts.

"Right sleeping powder." Nezumi rolled his eyes. "It's hard to forget when you gave it such a lame name."

"If you don't like the name you could always change it."

"I'm not going to name the plants." Nezumi said dryly.

"Then don't complain about my names."

Nezumi huffed and pulled out a handkerchief to wrap the flowers in.

"Anyways I'm going to borrow that book and make some tonight. It'll be nice to have for my next show." He pocked the flowers and turned back to Sion. The prince was watching him with an amused look on his face.

"What?"

"Are you really planning to put your fans to sleep?" Sion asked leaning on one elbow.

"Only a few of them." Nezumi retorted. "There's one fan in particular that has been causing me…problems"

"Oh?"

"He broke into my room and tried to steal my stuff. He's rich enough to get away with it too. He's been harassing me almost every performance. It's getting tiring having to sneak in and out of the theater."

"Wow fans are crazy." Sion said his eyes wide. Nezumi made a sound of agreement.

"That's why I want to make some sleeping powder as soon as possible." Nezumi concluded. "So, I can make a clean escape from my fans." Sion paused for a second before bursting out laughing.

"You sound like a criminal planning his escape from prison." The prince snorted. He lowered his voice shifting his eyes back and forth. "Once the fans are taken out by the powder, steal the key and head out the back door. There will be a horse waiting for you there." He burst out laughing again. Nezumi chuckled lightly, his heart soring. The dark-haired man loved the sound of Sion's laugher. It was a pure sound, full of life. Although Sion laughed for other people, he never did it as freely as he did around Nezumi. It made it even better if the dark-haired man was the cause of the laughter. Nezumi could listen to that sound for the rest of his life.

"Speaking of fans." Nezumi said once Sion's laughter subsided. "As I recall, you bribed me after my last show to stick around and talk to my fans." Nezumi's eyes gleamed. "I believe you said you would teach me how to cook a cherry pie." Nezumi leaned forward. "You're not busy after lunch, right? Let's make some then. We still haven't tried that recipe from the cookbook that we bought last week." To Nezumi's surprise Sion's smile faltered and he hesitated.

"Um, maybe we could wait to do that?" He murmured. Nezumi shot him a questioning look. It was unlike Sion to pass up a chance to teach Nezumi to baking. It was one of the things Sion excelled at and he always wanted to share his passion with the dark-haired man.

"Ok…"

"It's just that." Sion bit his lip. "We are currently having a…rodent problem in the kitchen."

"A rodent problem?"

Sion was quite for a moment. Nezumi noticed that his ears were starting to turn red. The prince fidgeted with his figures.

"There have been some rats in the kitchen." He finally said. Nezumi stilled, his heart beating fast.

"You don't like rats?" he said trying to keep his voice neutral.

"I don't really dislike them" Sion muttered embarrassed. "I just find them…kind of scary." His cheeks turned pink. "I mean some rats carry diseases and…and they're so big! They're also aggressive. They will bite you if you get near them. Mice are nicer." There was a rock in Nezumi's stomach. It felt like Sion had punched him in the gut. He tried to ignore the feeling. Keeping a steady voice, he said,

"You aren't wrong. Rats are…aggressive and intimidating."

"You're mocking me." Sion grumbled. "I knew you would." Nezumi didn't answer. It felt surreal hearing about Sion's fear of rats. The actor knew he shouldn't be surprised. Sion was right about all those things. Nezumi had always prided himself on being a big aggressive rat. If he was still a rat and had bumped into Sion he would probably hiss and snap at him. Now however he wished he was a small harmless mouse. Maybe that way he wouldn't be feeling so miserable.

"Cinderella likes rats though." Sion continued. "She says they're good listeners." Nezumi forced himself to snort and rolled his eyes. That's how he would usually react to that information, right? It was hard to remember how to act normal when his heart was pounding.

"Yeah if you feed a rat they won't run and since they can't speak back all they can do is listen."

"The rats should be gone soon though." Sion said. "The cook set up some traps." Nezumi was silent again. He felt kind of sick hearing Sion speak about rats as pests and vermin. He knew humans had to set up traps in order to get rid of rats. It wasn't like they were going to leave on their own. It still bothered him. If he was a rat, Sion would be talking to Cinderella about catching and killing him as casually as he was now. It made his chest hurt just thinking about it.

Nezumi clenched his teeth. He was being unfair to Sion. Sion didn't know about Nezumi's past. How could he if the actor never told him? Sion had every right to not like rats. Many did carry disease. Most were big and aggressive. It wasn't Sion's fault that rats weren't the nicest animals. Besides Sion didn't hate them, he just didn't understand them. Fear and hatred were two different things. Perhaps over time Nezumi could show Sion the positive side to rats. He clung to that thought and used it to calm himself down. He would try to show Sion rats aren't that bad.

The toll of the noon bell startled Nezumi out of his thoughts. Sion put down his trough and sighed.

"Well time to go,"

Nezumi pressed his lips. He didn't want Sion to leave with this negativity between them. Although the prince was unaware of it, Nezumi didn't want to carry this around with him all day. He let out his breath slowly and pushed away his complicated emotions. He could deal with that later. Sion meant nothing by it after all.

"It'll be over sooner then you know." Nezumi said. "You've dealt with nobles before."

"Usually they're fine but this group…" Sion shivered. "They want me to marry either their daughter or son. Those two are just…I don't care much for them. I've already told them I wasn't interested but they're persistent."

"Do you need any sleeping powered?" Nezumi offered. "That way the next time you have to dine with them, you could make them mysteriously fall asleep."

"That's very tempting." Sion admitted. "But I'll pass. Sir William would figure it out and I would get in trouble."

"Just blame it on food poisoning." Nezumi said dismissively.

"I've never heard of food poisoning that put all your guest to sleep." Sion cracked a smile. "And even if there was, I already told Sir William about the sleeping power so he would know."

"This is why you should've kept it a secret. So nosy knights don't interfere with your scheme to put tedious nobles to sleep." Nezumi scolded. Sion laughed. The sound made the pain in Nezumi's heard fade.

"Even if it worked, it wouldn't solve the problem. They would just postpone it to another day." Sion shook his head. "Don't worry I'll use my usual methods of getting through."

"Oh, what are those?"

"You know." Sion started counting them off on his fingers. "Daydreaming, rewarding myself afterwards for dealing with nobles, pretending I'm anywhere else but there…" Sion's eyes lit up. "And my newest method of coping: Trying to decide what snarky remark you would make if you were in my situation."

"Does that work?" Nezumi asked amused.

"Extremely well." Sion beamed. "I'm getting better at them too!" The bell stopped tolling and Sion sighed again his lighthearted mood fading.

"Enough stalling. Time to meet my fate." He brushed off his pants. "I'll meet you after lunch at the library if I survive.

"I will be anxiously waiting for you." Nezumi said bowing deeply, "Onwards my Prince. You must completed your destiny!" Sion chucked again.

"See you." The prince glanced around to make sure they were alone before leaning in and giving Nezumi a kiss on the cheek. He waved once more and then scurried off to the castle.

Nezumi watched him go, his heart beating wildly, his sour mood nowhere in sight. Once the prince was in the castle, he stripped off his gloves and returned the tools to the shed. After washing his hands, he headed to the library. It was hard to find the books on potions and remedies that Sion had used. Luckily when he did located it, he found that Sion had bookmarked the page with a title card:

 _Nezumi's Sleep Beauty powder_

Nezumi chuckled and flipped open the book to that page. He glanced over the ingrediencies and found to his delight, that other than fresh coral rose all the other ingrediency would be easy to locate. The dark-haired man smiled and lay the rose across the open page, leaving it on the table. He would go collect the items he needed then return for a snack and some cuddling with Sion. After that he would start working on the sleeping powder. First thought he needed to write down the ingredients. As Nezumi opened his bag to retrieve a paper and a pen, his eyes fell on something else in the bag and he froze. Slowly he reached in and took out the leaf the fairy godmother gave him. The usually green leaf had turned a bright silver.

The fairy godmother had finished her spell.

Nezumi stared at the leaf his mind blank. It was shocking to realize that over the last couple of months he had entirely forgotten the fairy godmother's spell. He hadn't forgotten his desire to become a rat again, that was always there, but it was in the back of his mind. Now he realized his mistake. He had let Sion's beauty and excitable personality overwhelm his senses. Nezumi ran a hand through his hair swearing. The prince was dangerous. His red eyes and enthusiastic smile were more deadly than a siren's call. He had let the white-haired man in and now he was paying the price. His emotions were too tangled to separate. Nezumi couldn't deny it anymore. He wanted the prince to himself. He didn't want to share the prince's smile and warmth. He wanted Sion as his mate. Although he had an overwhelming desire to stay with Sion, he still had an overwhelming desire to be a rat.

"It would never work out." He muttered to himself. "He's scared of rats. We're just to different."

 _"I would be surprised but it wouldn't change my feelings about that person. I mean, who they are now is more important than who they were"_

Sion had said that as well. Sion would understand if he explained things…but could he? Nezumi always had this secret as his last defense. It was a way to protect himself from humans, to remind himself that he was separated from them. Forfeiting the secret to anyone was like forfeiting the last bit of him that was free. Even now Nezumi knew he wouldn't be able to tell Sion. Nezumi swore again, slamming his fist against the wall. He wanted to be a rat again. He wanted it so badly. Now that the spell was complete, the aching in his heart that called him to return to the wild had increased…. but the thought of living without Sion made his heart ache as well. He really went down too far. He should have never dated Sion in the first place. Easy fun? Getting it out of both of their systems? What a joke. He fallen hard and fast. He hated himself, what he had become. Why did he do this, why?!

Nezumi blinked as he felt something wet on his face. Putting up a hand and he was startled to find tears streaming down his cheeks. Was he crying over this? It was pathetic. He had been in worse situations as a rat. He had almost been killed, almost starve to death. He had been injured and in pain. Even then Nezumi didn't just curled up and cry, he moved forward. He always moved forward. This was different, however. Nezumi was a human now. He had human weakness. He was a pathetic human with too many feelings and emotions. The dark-haired man curled up and drew his legs to his face. He was trapped, suffocating. It had become too complicated. Why didn't he just stay by the coach like the fairy godmother told him? Why did he have to meet Sion? Why did he have to follow Sion back to his library? Why did he have to read a book? Why?

At that moment he wanted to be a rat again more than anything. He wanted all the confusion and doubt to disappear. He was tired, tired of always feeling things. It was to much. He knew this was his last chance to turn back into a rat and be free. This was his last chance to get out. He needed to escape…. He needed to leave right now!

Nezumi took another deep breath and held it as he tried to calm his panicking mind. Did he still have time? Could he erases all of the memories he and Sion made together? Could he go to the fairy without hesitation?

It wasn't a matter of choice. He HAD to go to the fairy. He had to be a rat again. This was his last chance. If he didn't he would regret his decision for the rest of his life. At least as a rat he wouldn't need to live with his regret. The Little Mermaid and the prince didn't belong with each other. The mermaid should have return to the sea so she could be free. That's the choice he would make….

Nezumi let out his breath crossing his legs. Slowly he began surrender his memories of Sion. All the feels and desires he locked up. Any that tried to escape, he crushed ruthlessly. He emptied himself of everything. He worked and worked, suppressing the better part of himself. He knew he couldn't get rid of the memories; all he could do was to push them away. Sion was in every part of him so every part must be compressed. He worked until he could feel nothing at all. He wasn't Nezumi the rat, nor was he Nezumi the human. He could move and function as needed, but he was no longer thinking or feeling. There was a buzzing sound in his head that blocked everything out. It didn't matter, he didn't need to think. All he needed to do was to go meet the fairy and be done with all of this. He welcomed the numb buzzing as a distraction. If he let a single thought cross his mind, he knew Sion would appear and the world would crash around him again.

"Hey Nezumi!" Sion's voice called out. Nezumi didn't look up or react to the voice at all. Sion's voice seemed to be miles away in a happier place. Was Nezumi there at one time? He couldn't remember. The prince entered the library and stopped when he saw Nezumi sitting on the floor with a blank expression. "What's wrong?" Nezumi didn't answer. He worked to control his emotions. The second the prince entered Nezumi's heart stated pounded. He fought until his heartbeat was back to normal. When he was ready, he spoke in a dull voice.

"We need to talk."

"Ok." Sion said softly as he sat next to him. "What is it?" Nezumi hated the gentle look on his face. He wished the prince would disappear, so he didn't need to do this.

"We need to break up." Nezumi's mind screamed in protest at his words. He struggled to keep the raging storm at bay.

"What?" Sion asked shock. "Why?"

"Because." Nezumi said simply. Sion blinked for a second and then scold.

"Stop joking that's not funny."

"I'm not joking."

"Hey," Sion leaned in and touched Nezumi's arm "What's wrong? Why are you acting like this?"

Nothing's wrong. I just want to break up." Nezumi could see Sion frown in frustration.

"Are your serious right now?"

"Completely."

"Come on Nezumi!" Sion complained. Nezumi didn't answer he just gave the prince a blank look. Sion glowered for a moment before the light of realization dawned in his eyes and he backed away a little.

"You mean it." He whispered. He gulped a few times, his eyes brimming with tears. "Why?!" Now he sounded angry and hurt. "Did I do something wrong?" Nezumi was silent again. Sion's anger swelled.

"Say something!" the prince yelled. His frustration and anger hit Nezumi like a title wave. The dark-haired man welcomed it. It was something he could concentrated on. Anger was a negative feeling and he needed to feel something negative. It made it easier to push down his own thoughts.

"It's not like that." Nezumi finally said "I just want to break up. Didn't I tell you back when we started dating that it would be temporal? Well now I want to end it." Nezumi pointed out mildly.

"This is stupid!" Sion was practically screaming. "You can't just break it off like this!"

"Why not?"

"B-b-ecause!" Sion stammered angrily. "You have to give me a warning, or at least a reason!"

"That was not part of our deal."

"Those are basic human decencies."

"Who said I was decent?" Nezumi forced a cruel smile on his face. He needed Sion to yell more. He needed Sion to rage and yell so that it made it easier to walk away.

"You are a decent human." Sion said tears pricking at his eyes. "I know you are."

"Maybe you should have listened to everyone when they warned you that I was horrible."

"I won't believe it!" Sion trembled. "Come on Nezumi I know you're better than this. Just be reasonable. You said up to a year, right? Let's go on for a little while longer. You gave me a warning." His voice became pleading. "I promise I won't fight you when the time is up. Just give me a week. After a week we can break up and act like we were never together."

"No."

"Please Nezumi. Don't do this to me." Sion was sobbing on the ground. "Maybe I'm being selfish, but I need a week longer. I love you Nezumi. I love you so much it hurts." Nezumi started at him with a cold expression while his mind was in a panicked. Crying was not what he wanted. He wanted Sion to go back to yelling. He felt like he was going to vomit listing to his boyfriend crying. He wanted to run to Sion. He wanted to hold the prince close and comfort him. He wanted to take back everything he said. Sion was right he was being unfair. Instead Nezumi held his position.

"I don't love you." Nezumi said dully.

Lie: Nezumi wanted Sion as his mate.

"I thought you realized that I dated you for your own sake not mine."

Lie: Nezumi thought it would be fun as well.

"Why would I love you anyways? You're a strange looking and weird."

Lie: Sion was beautiful and interesting.

"Do you think I really enjoyed our dates? I'm an actor after all. You should have known it was just an act."

Lie: For once he had been able to be himself.

"I had to put up with you for months now. Do you really think I want to push it off for another week?"

Lie: Of course, Nezumi wanted to put it off for another week.

"You're just being selfish."

Lie: Nezumi was being selfish. He should have just told Sion no in the first place. He led him on. He let him belief they could be more. He fooled the prince as well as himself. Nezumi knew he would end up as a rat again before they started dating. He knew it yet he still started something that he couldn't see through to the end. It had to end. Nezumi didn't belong here. He clearly showed how horrible he was.

Sion sobbed again. He looked so small and hurt. Nezumi knew if he stayed any longer, he would break. He could feel the protesting emotions and thoughts slam against his wall. It was already cracking. He didn't have any time.

"Goodbye Sion." Nezumi said and without another word he turned and left, leaving Sion crying on the floor. The dark-haired man made it through the gate and halfway to Cinderella's library before he collapsed on the ground. He fell to his knees and puked. The burning in his throat was nothing to the pain in his chest and head. He felt sick. He hated himself at that moment more then he hated anyone before. He didn't even know it was possible to hate one's self as much as he did. What he did to Sion was terrible. He was terrible. He wanted pain. He wanted punishment. He wanted Sion. He wanted to be a rat.

"Only a little bit longer." He groaned. Once he was a rat all these feelings would fade. He just needed to tell Cinderella where he was going so she could comfort Sion. Once that was done he would no longer be obligated to deal with humans. After that he would go to the meeting place and end his miserable existence.


	11. Chapter 11

Cinderella made her way down the road that lead to the castle. It was a nice evening out; the sun was setting, and the birds were chirping goodnight. Usually she would be enjoying her stroll to visit the prince. Today however she had a lot on her mind. She just finished her job and had dropped by her house to grab a few things when she ran into Nezumi. The dark-haired man told her that the leaf had changed colors and that he was going to finally meet the fairy godmother in order to turned back into a rat. Cinderella congratulated him and promised to leave out some extra scraps out for him if he got hungry. Even though this was what he wanted Cinderella, had a feeling that something was off about the dark-haired man. Nezumi looked awful. He was pale and shaky, and he smelled like vomit. What was even stranger was how he acted. He spoke without any of his usual flair, his eyes dead and without hope. His face held no feelings, he didn't seem happy or upset just…out of it.

Cinderella was a little concerned, but she didn't say anything. It wouldn't matter soon. Once Nezumi was back to being a rat, whatever was ailing him would disappear. A small part of her was going to miss him. She had gotten use to him lounging around the castle or her father's library. A greater part of her was kind of relieved he was gone. He seemed (at least to her) extremely miserable as a human. He hated human rules and connections. He acted on any random whim that occurred to him, like when he decided to live in Sion's library. He was hard to deal with and never tried to understand anyone around him.

As Prince Sion's library came into view Cinderella pulled herself out of her thoughts. She hadn't realized she crossed into the castle's grounds. Looking around she found that the sun had set, and night was fast approaching. She shivered in the cool night air. It had been a warm day, but the night was looking slightly chilly. She wished she brough a shawl with her. Spring weather was always unpredictable and if she hadn't been preoccupied with Nezumi's situation she would have remembered that. Cinderella signed and continued towards Prince Sion's library.

As she got closer, she heard gentle sobbing coming from inside. Cinderella paused. No one was allowed in Prince Sion's library except for Nezumi and the prince himself. Since Nezumi was unlikely to cry, the only person left was the white-haired prince. All thoughts of Nezumi disappeared from her mind as she hurried into the library. It was dark inside, and Cinderella had to grope around in order to light a candle. Once she did, she was able to locate the prince curled in corner. He looked up at her tears streaming down his eyes. Cinderella felt a chill rush down her spine. The fact that the prince was crying in the corner, in the dark, suggested that he had been there since before the sun set hours ago and was to distress to light a lamp. Even though the prince was emotional, Cinderella had never seen him so defeated before. She couldn't fathom what happened to him. Without another thought the young woman hurried over to him and fell to her knees beside him.

"What's wrong Prince Sion?" she asked gently. The prince stared blankly at her. It seemed to take him a few seconds to recognize her at all. When he did, he gave a loud sniff and whipped the tears from his eyes.

"Cinderella?" he croaked. "What are you doing here?"

"I said I would visit you this evening remember?"

"Ah, yeah you did." The prince gave another loud sniff. Cinderella waited a moment but when the white-haired man didn't continue, she pressed on.

"Your Highness what's wrong?"

Prince Sion stiffened; hesitation written all over his face. He paused, chewing on his bottom lip. Finally, his shoulders relaxed and he gave a long sigh.

"I suppose I could tell you now. It's over after all." He curled up tighter. "Nezumi broke up with me." His voice was barely over a whisper. Cinderella wondered if she had heard right.

"Broke up?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"But…you weren't dating. How could you break up?"

"We….we were dating….he wanted to keep it a secret though, Nezumi I mean. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone but since it's over I guess there's no harm sharing it." He buried his face in his arms. "I feel so….so awful right now….So small and pathetic…"

Cinderella mind was blank as she tried to process the information. Prince Sion and Nezumi…dating? It was so ridiculous. A human and a rat couldn't fall in love. Nezumi was rude and cold. He never treated Prince Sion like the prince he was. He was too casual, too spiteful. He would never fall for Prince Sion. The only option left was that the dark-haired man had played with the prince's heart the whole time. No wonder he wanted to keep it a secret. Nezumi knew Cinderella and Sir William would see though his act and try to convince the prince to end it with him.

That thought of Nezumi's cruel actions should make her angry. She should be outraged that Prince Sion's kindness was used like that. Instead she felt her heart ache. She loved Prince Sion. She thought Prince Sion might see her the same way. Now however she saw that his love for her was just that of a friend. The one he truly wanted to be with was Nezumi. It was so absurd to think that all this time, smug annoying Nezumi held the prince's heart.

"Why would you fall in love with Nezumi?" she finally chocked out. Prince Sion looked up in surprise.

"Why wouldn't I fall in love with him?" he asked confused. "He's interesting and has a unique way of viewing the world. He acts cold and sarcastic but he's really caring. He loves reading and it's fascinating to listen to his insight on books."

Cinderella watched the white-haired prince babble on. As he spoke, he of Nezumi he seemed to brighten up a little. He seemed lost in his own memories.

"You really love him." She finally whispered. Prince Sion blinked at her. Then reality seemed to hit him, and his face fell. as reality came back to him and his face fell.

"I do…" he said taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry, for not telling you…for dumping all of this on you." He smiles faintly at her. "You're such a good friend. Sorry I'm such a mess right now."

Cinderella felt like crying. She wanted to be the one who the prince loved. She wanted him to describe her the way he described Nezumi.

"I was so stupid." The prince buried his face in his arms "Why did I think my forced feelings suddenly made Nezumi like me? I love him so much. I was the one who agreed to his conditions." The while haired man sat back and looked at Cinderella. "What do you do when you feel like the world is collapsing around you?"

"Talk to some." Cinderella said quietly. "I talked to the rats and mice at my house. Sometimes when life felt too much just saying it out loud helps." Prince Sion paused then his shoulders slumped.

"I-I guess I'm overreacting…Nezumi told me it was only temporary" A sad smile appeared on his lip. "He always was too good for me. He only dated me because I pressured him into it." Prince Sion stared blankly at the window across the library. "I feel frustrated and angry right now. I'm angry at Nezumi for leading me on. I mean he could give me a warning first! He just…broke up with me and then refused to give any reasons." His arms slumped. "I'm also angry at myself for acting like a child. Why couldn't I have been more mature about it? I know how to keep my temper. I've been in court my whole life. Why did I just lose control like that?" The prince pulled at his hair. "Ug! I'm just so angry at the world! Why did this have to happen?! Is it me? Is it Nezumi? Who was being unfair?"

As Cinderella watched the prince rant, her anger finally rose over her heartbreak. Listing to the prince confirmed her suspicion that Nezumi had played with the while-haired man's heart. Prince Sion was always so honest, and now his purity was being repaid with cruelty. Everything the prince said about Nezumi was false. The dark-haired man secretly kind? That was such a lie. Nezumi was empty, just a rat pretending to be a human. But he was also an actor. He knew how to act in a way to get the prince wrapped around his fingers. Prince Sion didn't seem to be aware of this. He truly felt that he was somewhat responsible for Nezumi playing with him.

"You are worth much more then him!" Cinderella exclaimed. "He's just a cruel person. You deserve better!" The prince paused in his angry rant then gave another long sigh.

"I doubt it." Prince Sion calming down. "Nezumi usually doesn't do things without reason. I just wish he told me what that reason was." Cinderella watched the white-haired man lament. She knew the reason why Nezumi left. She always kept the dark-haired man's secret. She never told anyone. Now however, she felt angry at him. If Nezumi was going to play with the prince's emotions, then she would no longer protect his secret.

"I know the reason why he broke up with you." She admitted. Prince Sion's head shot up and he looked at her pleadingly. "This is supposed to be a secret, but I'm going to tell you anyways. Nezumi is a rat." Her comment was met by silence.

"I know." Prince Sion finally said confused. "Nezumi means rat."

"No, I mean he was a rat." At the prince's lost expression, she elaborated. "Remember when I told you about my fairy godmother and how she turned animals into servants in order to get me to the ball?

"Yeah, she turned the mice into horses and the lizards into horsemen." Prince Sion nodded.

"Well she also turned a rat into a footman…" At her worlds Prince Sion's widened in shock.

"But you told me they all turned back after midnight."

"They did! All except Nezumi at least. He read that human book and was stuck as a human. He didn't want to be one. He wanted to be a rat."

"All this time?" Prince Sion said weakly. "I didn't know." He looked down at the ground. "He must have suffered a lot as a human." He blinked for a second before laughing. "No wonder his past was so strange." He sobered up "It's my fault after all then. I was the one who brought him to my library. I wish he had told me the truth."

"It doesn't matter anymore." Cinderella said soothingly. "Tonight, my fairy godmother is going to turn him back into a rat." To the young woman's surprise Prince Sion's expression turned to horror as he jumped to his feet.

"Tonight?" He cried. "Are you sure?!"

"Yes." Cinderella said startled. "He's meeting her in the natural garden near the signpost outside of my town. **"**

"I have to go there." Sion muttered weakly as he turned to the door. Cinderella stood up and grabbed his arm.

"You can't stop him!" she exclaimed. "He _wants_ to be a rat.

"I know that!" Sion said desperately not turning around. "But I don't want a fight to be the last conversation we ever had. If he's going to leave, I want to make it up to him."

"He's going to forget everything anyways. He needs to lose all human knowledge and memory in order to become a rat again."

"Oh." Prince Sion said in a small voice his shoulder slumping. He turned back to her his eyes filled with sadness. "So, he won't remember me at all?" He looked so hurt that Cinderella almost lie just to make him happy. Instead she reluctantly shook her head.

"No. He won't remember anything that happened as a human."

"I see." Prince Sion said softly. He turned away and headed towards the door again.

"Wait!" Cinderella cried in confusion reaching an arm out towards him. "Why are you leaving now? It doesn't matter if you tell him or not!"

"It matters to me!" Sion exclaimed. "I want to tell him. I want to apologies. Besides," Prince Sion gulped "I want to be there until the end…." At that moment Cinderella understood how much the prince loved Nezumi. She dropped her arm in defeat. She couldn't stop him from going. She couldn't have the prince.

"Hurry," she said. "He left a while ago, but he was taking his time to get there." She could still remember the way Nezumi had staggered slowly at the door. "You might still have a chance to catch him." Prince Sion nodded and rushed out of the room. Cinderella watched him leave. When he disappeared from view, she allowed her eyes to fill with tears. She didn't want the prince to see her cry, not when he was emotional distressed himself. The young woman staggered to a nearby chair and fell in it. She hid her face in her hands and wept openly. She wanted all her feelings for the prince to disappear. She wished Nezumi wasn't in the picture. She wished she hadn't fallen for the prince at all. She didn't know how long she had been crying when a voice interrupted her misery.

"What's wrong my lady?"

Cinderella looked up startled to find Sir Williams watching her. The young woman hadn't even heard the knight enter the room.

"N-n-nothing." She stammered wiping her eyes and standing up. The knight frowned deeply.

"It's unusual to find you so sad."

"I'm just going through something." She forced a smile. "I'm fine." Sir Williams didn't look convinced but didn't press matters.

"I'll go find Prince Sion." He said gently. "I'm sure you want to talk to him…." The knight paused. "though truthfully I don't know where he is." He scowled. "I'm guessing the prince is running wild with Nezumi again." Cinderella glanced away upset. When he mentioned Nezumi a new fit of negative feelings rose in her. Her actions did not go unnoticed. A frustrated sigh left the knight's mouth.

"He really needs to stop playing around. Now that he's come of age, his subjects are expecting him to take the throne soon. Of course, he should marry before then." He smiled at Cinderella. "Many believe you're going to be queen." Cinderella laughed dejectedly. She knew he said this to try to cheer her up, but it only hurt to hear.

"He doesn't love me like that." She whispered. The knight's smile faded.

"I see." He said uncomfortably. "That's too bad, you'd make a wonderful queen." Cinderella swallowed the lump in her throat. Sir Williams had always been nice to her. After the initial integration to make sure she wasn't an assassin he had seemed to like her. The old knight always put in the effort to make sure she was happy and comfortable whenever she visited the castle.

"There's another that he loves." She admitted. "I never stood a chance." At her worlds Sir William's stiffened.

"Who?" he asked incredulously. "He doesn't spend any time around anyone but you and Nezumi. And it can't be Nezumi." Cinderella gave a small laugh that sounded more like a sob.

"Believe it or not it is actually Nezumi. I just learned they were secretly dating." The knight clenched his fist, anger edged on his face.

"For how long?" He demanded. "What have they been doing?" A look of horror crossed the knight's face. "What did Nezumi do to the prince?" He looked anxiously towards Cinderella. "Where are they now. I need to talk to the prince immediately! They can't date. I-… I mean the queen would never approve!"

"They've already broken up." Cinderella said quickly surprised by the knight's venom. She had almost forgotten that he distrusted Nezumi. "Nezumi ended it today. Prince Sion is heartbroken. I never seen him so defeated before."

"I see." The knight said calming down. "Dating that man would only ever end in heartbreak." He sighed. "If Prince Sion had told me I would have warned him." The older man gave a long sigh. "I better do damage control. I need to find Sion to make sure he's alright and I need to find Nezumi to…." His eyes narrowed "Have a long _talk_ with him. Do you know where either of them is?"

"Prince Sion went to the natural garden near the signpost right outside my town." Cinderella said.

"That's a strange place to go along at night." Sir Williams muttered. "He must really be distraught."

"He's going there because that's where Nezumi is heading." Cinderella said. At this comment the knight's eyes widened in horror.

"Prince Sion went after Nezumi?"

"He wanted to say goodbye. Nezumi's leaving tonight." The young woman said softly.

"Nezumi's leaving..." The knight looked alarmed. "This is bad."

"Why?"

"There's been a scandal in Maphodora." The knight said fretfully. Cinderella watched him confused. Maphodora was a neighboring country that they were on poor terms with for years. She had no idea what it had to do with Nezumi.

"I knew Nezumi was up to something." The knight said as he began to pace. "I should have put it together, Maphodora has been too quiet."

"I don't understand."

"Nezumi's from Maphodora. I bet he's an assassin sent over to kill or kidnap Prince Sion."

"There's no proof about that!" Cinderella gasped. It was unlike Sir William to jump to conclusions. Usually he was a calm and collective.

"First he dates the prince and convinces him to keep it a secret." He stopped and faced Cinderella. "Prince Sion has never kept a secret like this from be before. We both know Nezumi is a terrible influence on him." Th young woman opened her mouth to protest but Sir Williams continued. "Then Nezumi suddenly breaks the prince's heart. He knows the prince would go after him. This was planned."

"No" Cinderella said. "I know Nezumi acts suspicious but he's an assassin-"

"Cinderella." The knight said worriedly. "You haven't heard the news yet but in in Maphodora, the duchess Isabell just killed her husband. He's on the high court and was popular with their subjects. Do you know what uproar this will cause? It only happened day ago and already there are riots in the street. They have started recalling all their men. Why would Nezumi suddenly break up with Prince Sion right after such a scandal? The timing lines up perfectly. Nezumi was recalled so he needs to complete his job quickly and return home."

"It's just a coincidence-" but the night wasn't listening anymore. He was back to pacing franticly.

"I knew I should have kept a better eye on him." He muttered. "Everything makes sense now. Why didn't I see it before?"

Cinderella watched him alarmed. She knew the knight distrustful Nezumi, but she didn't realize that he was this paranoid about the dark-haired man. She didn't completely blame Sir William. Nezumi never acted trustworthy. He ignored the wishes of the nobles and knights and did whatever he pleased. It made it worse when he began sneaking Prince Sion in and out of the castle. Then there was Nezumi's mysterious lack of history. It was no wonder then that Sir William was waiting for Nezumi to give him a single reason to suspect him of treason. The whole castle was probably waiting for the dark-haired man to show is true colors. Nezumi had made many enemies and very few friends.

Of course, it wasn't completely the actor's fault either. As a rat recently turned human Nezumi didn't really understand politics. He saw humans in all the same way. To him spiting Sir William was the same as insulting one of his fans. Cinderella knew she had to say something to stop the knight.

"Sir William" she started but before she could finish her sentence the older mand had turned and rushed out the door. Cinderella to watched helplessly. She knew she couldn't catch up to him nor could she stop him. Now that she thought of it, she doubted he would believe her story anyways. He was always skeptical about magic. All she could do was to hope that Nezumi a rat again before Sir Williams showed up or that they find Prince Sion before Nezumi.

.

.

.

.

Sion's heart was pounding, and his breaths was coming out uneven. He had never run this far nor this fast before. The white-haired man guessed that he was only running on adrenaline at this point. As he turned a corner and charged down another empty street, he felt a pain in his side and his chest feeling like it was going to burst. Even so he pushed himself to run faster. He didn't know how much time he had left. He didn't know if Nezumi was already a rat. The thought of missing Nezumi before he had time to say goodbye and to apologize was horrible. He wanted Nezumi to know he still cared. He wanted Nezumi to know it was alright for him to want to be a rat again.

 _"You told him rats were scary"_ a voice in his head mocked him. At that thought a new wave of panic hit Sion. He had called rats vermin. He had said so many terrible things about them. He didn't want Nezumi to leave thinking that he felt that way about him. Yes, rats were scary but over time he could learn to accept them. Nezumi must have known he didn't know any better when he said those things. He must have seen Sion meant nothing by it. The prince couldn't have known after all.

 _They grew up in completely different worlds. She doesn't understand some of the basic rules of land. Even if she wants to be human, she will eventually regret becoming one. The human's world is extremely restrictive with too many rules and laws. She wouldn't be free. And the prince doesn't even know she's different. How is he supposed to understand her?_

Nezumi had said that about the little Mermaid. It made complete sense now that Sion knew the truth. Nezumi was the restricted mermaid who wanted to live freely in the sea and Sion was the ignorant prince who didn't understand him. The thought of it made him cry all over again. He had really messed up without even knowing it. Why didn't he read the clues Nezumi was dropping? Surely, he could have figured it out….

Sion shook his head. No there was no way for him to figure it out. He couldn't even figure out that Nezumi meant a rat colony, not a human one. Looking back, it was almost amazing how ignorant he was. He wished that Nezumi had told him in the end. Not that it would have mattered in the long run. If Nezumi wanted to be a rat, then Sion would accept it. The little mermaid and her prince were never meant to be together. Neither was the prince and his rat.

 _"Not everyone gets a happy ending. Not everyone gets what they want."_

Nezumi had said that about tragedies. He had said that was what made them realistic, that it ended bad. The dark-haired man always like tragedies. Sion wondered if he like this one.

Sion mentally slapped himself. He didn't have time to sink into self-pity. Nezumi had made it clear that he had only dating Sion because the prince pestered him. For that Sion should be grateful. He got months of pure joy and love from Nezumi. The dark-haired man indulged the prince's curiosity by tell him about his past (even though it only made sense now). Nezumi had even let the prince kiss him, even when he felt uncomfortable about it. The actor had been generous. Yes, he did break it off suddenly and hurt Sion. Perhaps he could have did it another way. But it still didn't mean that Nezumi was bad or cruel. He had given Sion everything.

And now Sion would go to him. He would apologies for acting selfish, and thank Nezumi for the treasured memories and their time together. Then he would say his goodbyes and stay there until Nezumi was a rat again…

Tears prickled from Sion' eyes. He angrily wiped them again. He shouldn't cry. He needed to remind himself that Nezumi wanted to be a rat again. Sion was being selfish, wanting Nezumi by his side. Nezumi didn't ever see Sion that way. No, he was going to see Nezumi off and he wouldn't cry or whine in his presents.

He would just be there until the end and hope Nezumi enjoyed the rest of his life.


	12. Chapter 12

It was a calm night. A light breeze pushed the swaying grass gently and small rippled appeared on the pond. Small fireflies danced between the flowers and a frog crocked somewhere in the distance. The clear water reflexed the moon almost mirror like and the whole place had a magical feel to natural garden as a beautiful place.

If Nezumi was thinking he would have wished that he had brought Sion here on a date. Of course, Nezumi wasn't thinking, if he thought about that he would regret break up with Sion. The dark-haired man walked silently across the grass. It softly brushed against his exposed ankle and fireflies few into the sky where he stepped. A gentle wind brushed his arms and lifted his hair. Although beautiful, it was still a slightly chilly evening. As he continued through the garden the wind picked up, causing small goose bumps to cover his arms. If Nezumi could feel he would have wish that he had brought a jacket. He couldn't feel though, if he could, he would have compared the chilliness of the evening to the warmth of that morning; where he and Sion sweated in their garden.

As Nezumi passed some trees the fairy godmother came into sight. She was sitting on a fallen log watching the sky. The old woman didn't hear him approach. He knew she couldn't see him very well either in the dark. Despite not having a single cloud in the sky, the moon wasn't full so sight as limited. This gave him a moment or to two to regain his composure. When he had saw her sliver of doubt entered his brain. He smushed it and continued to his destiny. Finally, he came up right behind her.

"Hey." Nezumi said is a dull voice. The fairly jumped up with a squeak and tripped over the log. She huffed as she pulled herself to her feet and turned to scold at the dark-haired man. If Nezumi could show emotions he would have smirked. Of course, Nezumi didn't have any emotions. If he did, he would remember all the times he snuck up on Sion so he could see his boyfriend's shocked face and hear his cries of protest.

"Don't scare me like that." She growled as she straightened her outfit. Nezumi watched her for a few second before realizing she wanted an apology.

"Sorry" Nezumi said blankly. If Nezumi was letting his personally show through he would have said a snarky comment. Of course, he didn't though, it would remind him that Sion used his snarky comments as a defense against nobles.

Even though his haze Nezumi felt a twinge of annoyance. Was there anything part of him left that didn't remind him of Sion?

"Let's get started." The fairy said clearly deciding on forgiving him. She rolled up her sleeves and let out a determined breath. Nezumi nodded mutely as he forced his feet forward until he was standing right in front of her.

"What do you need me to do?" he asked.

"First, you need to change into your footmen clothes." The fairy commanded. Nezumi almost sighed. He just wanted this to end. Why was she adding extra steps?

"It that necessary?"

"I suppose not…" the fairy grumbled twirled her wand. "but I made those clothes out of magic and I can't make them disappear unless you're wearing them."

"I didn't bring them."

"That won't be a problem." The fairy waved her wand and the clothes appeared in a pile. "Now put them on." Nezumi, resigning himself to her demands, picked them up from the ground. The fairy watched him impatiently.

"Are you going to watch me change?" he asked. The old woman glared at him and turned her back.

"I never met a rat who cared about such things."

"I spent too much time as a human." Nezumi shrugged attempting nonchalant. It wasn't working. His heart had started beating wilding against his chest and his whole body was tense.

"Well hurry up." the fairy said nervously. "I want this done and over with soon." Nezumi shrugged again picked up the clothes. As he did, he found the gray triangular hat that came with the footman outfit. The actor eyeing the horrid thing dubiously. It was as ugly and strange looking as he remembered it.

"Do I need to wear the hat?" he asked. The instance the words were out of his mouth he regretted them. That comment would have made Sion laugh. An image flashed in his mind of the prince's bright small followed by his wonderful laughter.

"Yes." The fair snapped.

"Fine" Nezumi said a little too loud. He wanted the fairy to keep speaking. He wanted to drown out the beautiful sound of Sion's laugher from his mind. The dark-haired man realized that he was shanking. H took a deep breath. "Where do you want me to put my clothes when I finish changing?"

"In here."

The fairy thrusted a bag over her shoulder. Nezumi started forward to pick it up. As he did something in the footman's outfit bumped against his arm. He picked up the pair of pants and noticed that there was something in the pocket. Confused Nezumi reached in and pulled out _Romeo and Juliet._ It was the copy that Sion had given him the day they had met.

The dam broke.

Fragments of memory from his first night as a human came flooding into him without permission. He suddenly found himself overcome by emotions.

 _He was sitting on the rail of the castle's balcony eying the strange white-haired human. He was half listening to Sion as they walked to the prince's library. He was standing in the library taking it all in. He was reading Romeo and Juliet and losing himself in their world._

As Nezumi desperately tried to suppress these thoughts another wall broke and memories of his time living in Cinderella's library seeped in.

 _He was reading all different kinds of books, each their own interesting world. He was standing on a stage bring the stories to life. He was bowing at the end of a performance listening to people clapping and knowing he got through to them. He was trying new foods that he wouldn't have access to as a rat. He was holding his first paycheck and realizing he could buy anything he wanted with it._

These memories caused a tidal way of emotions to break down yet another wall. Suddenly he was filled with memories of his time at the castle.

 _Sion was meeting him for the second time in his dressing room. He and Sion were walking in the rain. He was watching Sion go free and dance wilding in the downpour. Sion was teaching him about plants as they planned their garden. He and Sion were starting their garden and taking care of it as it grew. He was introducing classics to Sion and watching the prince's expression as he read. He was teaching Sion to dance. He was dancing with Sion at the ball._

The ball….

Remembering the second ball caused the rest of Nezumi's feelings and emotions to break free.

 _He was laughing along with Sion as they explored a nearby town. He was showing Sion how to get in and out of the castle unseen. He was dancing with Sion under the full moon. He was trying new things and enjoying them. He was holding Sion close as they sat on the beach watching the waves roll in. He was kissing Sion's hands and face and everywhere else he could reach except his mouth. He was being kissed in return and enjoying it._

He had never managed to kiss Sion on the lips. At that moment he wanted to do it more than anything else in the world.

"What's taking you so long?" the fairy demanded as she turned around to face Nezumi. "Why aren't you dressed yet!" she scowled at him. Then she noticed the book in his hands. " Is that the prince's book? Here give it to me so I can return it." She held out a hand to Nezumi. The dark-haired man ignored her. He was to busy struggling with the downpour of emotions.

He needed to be a rat. He needed to stay as a human. He wanted to be a rat. He wanted to be with Sion. He desired his freedom. He desired Sion.

Nezumi gridded his teeth. Why was this so hard? He already made his choice. He was going to be a rat. He couldn't choose Sion. He knew he would only regret it. What if thing didn't work out between them? What if it suddenly wasn't enough? He hated being a human, Sion was the only thing the made it barrable….wasn't he?

Suddenly Nezumi knew something was wrong. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt like he was missing something important. He thought back over his life as a human. The dark-haired man knew the reasons he hated being human but now he allowed himself to think about things he actually enjoyed. He enjoyed reading. He enjoyed bringing books to life through his acting. He enjoyed making people laugh and cry during his performances. He enjoyed comfy clothes and hot chocolate on rainy nights. He enjoyed intellectual conversations. He enjoyed learning new things.

These thoughts startled and scared him. He always connected the positives of being human solely to Sion. It was a life with Sion versus a life as a rat. He treated Sion as if the prince was the only reason to stay human. This wasn't the case. Sion was a big part of his human life, bigger than he could have ever imagine, but he wasn't the only part. Nezumi enjoyed so many things in the human world. If he had stopped worrying over his feelings for Sion, he would have seen how the little things in life made it worth living. Nezumi had been so blind to his own emotions.

Now the dark-haired man understood how characters in adventure books felt. Many of them were dragged off on an adventure without actually wanted to go on them. They always started off reluctantly, desiring to go back to simpler time, but always gained something valuable on their journeys that changed them. Nezumi couldn't give up his life here. He couldn't give up his thoughts and speech. He couldn't give up his hobbies and interests. Most of all he couldn't give up Sion. He didn't want to.

A lump grew in his throat. He would regret it in the future. He knew on long or painful days he would want more than anything to go back to simpler times and his freedom. Even so he also knew giving all of this up was running away. Humans had to deal with this all time. He had read many books about humans coming of age. They went from ignorant and free children to adults with responsibility. In a way turning into a human was his way of coming of age. Those humans couldn't go back to being children and they wouldn't benefit from do so. He was the same. Nezumi almost laughed at his own stupidity. He had been so blind, so stupid so stubborn. He wasn't a rat anymore. He was a human. He was Nezumi. He was Eve. He was the prince's boyfriend.

"What are you doing? Please just change already!" the fairy voice rang out startling Nezumi out of his revelation. He looked up to find the old looking around worriedly. "I shouldn't be here. Someone's going to catch me." Nezumi pocked the book and took a step back.

"I changed my mind. I want to stay human." The second the words were out of his mouth he felt better. A part of him was still sad that he would no longer be a rat, but he knew he was making the right choice. Now he had tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and the day after that, to read and laugh with Sion. He could eat good food and act. He could argue and debate. For these reasons alone the aching in his heart became more manageable.

The fairy stared at him in utter shock then her expression hardened.

"What do you mean you want to stay human?"

"What part aren't you understanding?

"All of it!" the old woman twisted the wand fretfully through her fingers. "You wanted to be a rat. I wanted you to be a rat. It was a win, win situation. What changed?"

"I realized I wanted to stay a human more then I wanted to be a rat." He said stubbornly. The fairy narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips.

"Listen here." She snapped losing her temper completely. "I don't have time for this. You're a rat, Sion's a human. You were never meant to meet."

"But we did meet." Nezumi said. "And even if I didn't fall in love with Sion, I still want to be a human. I want to read and perform. I want to dance and see new things."

"But don't you also want to be a rat?"

"I do." Nezumi's voice caught in his throat. "I'm going to miss my freedom as one but it's time to move forward."

"That isn't an option." The fairy raising her wand. "I jumped through hoops to make sure this worked out and you're not ruining it for me! Cinderella will marry the prince and they will be happy!" The old woman looked closer to a evil witch then a fairy godmother. Any magical benevolence was gone replaced by an agitated anger. Her eyes were burning with rage and contempt.

Nezumi crouched down. If she attacked there was a good chance that he would be turned back. Even so he wasn't going down without a fight. He had to win this and then go back to Sion to apologize. The idea of turning back into a rat without saying sorry hurt.

The fairy godmother opened her mouth and Nezumi started to move forward. He had only seconds…

"Nezumi wait!"

Both the fairy and Nezumi froze where they were. The voice that called out sounded like Sion's but that didn't make any sense, why would the prince be here? Nezumi guessed he had misheard. The dark-haired man glanced over his shoulder. To his amazement the voice did belong to Sion. The prince was running toward them waving both arms wildly.

"Prince Sion?" the fairy gasped lowering her wand. Sion noticed her action and relax slightly. He opened his mouth to call out something and instantly tripped over a root. Nezumi watched in exasperation as Sion face planted into the ground with a soft "ow". The dark-haired man swore under his breath and hurried over to the collapsed man.

"Nezumi." Sion muttered dazed as the dark-haired man crouched down next to him. The prince sat up as Nezumi surveyed him. It was amazing to the actor how easy Sion could get hurt. From that fall alone he received scraps on his arms, legs, neck, and face. He had a bruise on his left shoulder and was covered in pine needles and twigs. As Nezumi eyes wandered to the prince's face he noticed that there was a trickle of blood dripping from the prince's nose. His eyes narrowed at the sight. He hated when Sion bleed. As a rat blood meant death. The prince noticed his expression and quickly wiped it away.

"What are you doing here?" the dark-haired asked. He mentally scolded himself. He wanted to ask him if he was alright, not question him.

"I've come to say sorry." Sion said seriously. "I don't want our last conversation to be the one at the library. I shouldn't have lost control of my emotions there…" he paused frowning "But to be fair, you did spring it on me. I mean you could have done that better. You knew you were going to break up with me when we started dating, why didn't you plan on how you were going to tell me? If dating me was such a problem they just talk to me!" Sion looked thoroughly pissed. " Do you know how long I cried after you left? You're nicer to your fans and you don't even like them! Even if you don't like me that way, we are at least friends. You should have put in more of an effort." He crossed his arms and huffed.

"This is an apology?" Nezumi asked bemused. Sion paused and uncrossed his arms. All the anger drained from his face.

"No…Sorry that wasn't what I wanted to say…It just came out." He blushed slightly. "I really did come to apologize."

"For what?" Nezumi couldn't think of a single thing Sion did wrong. Everything he said during his angry rant was right. Nezumi had been in the wrong not Sion.

"Well I was…" the prince lost his nerve and looked away. "I was selfish. I should have just let you go…" He suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "Cinderella kind of…told me the truth."

"She wasn't supposed to say anything" Nezumi muttered also looking away. Although he didn't want to admit it he felt anxious. The prince claimed that he wouldn't judge someone who used to be a different species then him, but Nezumi still had his doubts. Back then they were talking about _The Little Mermaid_ and there was a big difference between a mermaid and a rat.

"I'm glad she did." Sion said softly and Nezumi forced himself to face the white-haired man. He found Sion staring at him, a small smile on his face. When the dark-haired man looked into the prince's eyes he found only love and acceptance. Only then could he breath easily.

"I understand why you broke up with me, even though it hurt….a lot. I understand why you didn't want it to be permanent. I've come to say sorry and" he gulped his eyes misting. "I've come to say …goodbye." He whipped his eyes quickly. "It's your choice to become a rat but I want to be with you until the end." He attempted a smiled which came out very forced. The actor's heart sored and ached at the same time. He couldn't believe he was going to give Sion up. He couldn't believe Sion accepted him. He couldn't believe how much he hurt the prince.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing." Nezumi said bowing his head. "I hurt you back there. I said those horrible things to make you angry. I thought it would be easier for me to leave you then." he gulped down his rising emotions. "It was selfish of me. I know I shouldn't have done it, but I was afraid… I thought I would never be free again if I stayed a human." The words sounded pathetic to him. "I'm so sorry." His voice cracked at the end. It sounded childish to him when he said it out loud. He could feel shame creep up his chest. The prince was quiet for a moment.

"You don't need to lie to make me feel better." Sion finally said with a sad smile. "I pestered you to date me after all. I wouldn't be surprised if you did hate it."

"No!" Nezumi reached forward and grabbed the prince's hands. "I loved dating you. I think you're beautiful. Every moment we spent together made me happy. I-I" Nezumi petered out. Usually he was good with words. He always knew the right thing to say. Now however he couldn't put his feelings into words. He took another deep breath.

" I see now that there's a life for me here." He looked Sion straight in the eyes. "I want to stay a human. I want to stay your boyfriend. I…I love you." He had said it. This time without any conditions or drawbacks. He said what he really felt. Sion's eyes watered and he buried his face in his arms. As Nezumi hugged him back he heard the prince soft cries.

"Are you alright?" the dark-haired man asked gently.

"I'm so stupid." Sion sobbed. "I promised myself I wouldn't cry and here I am balling like a baby." He lifted his head and pouted up at Nezumi. "This is your fault you know. You break up with me and leaving me sobbing on the ground, then you change your mind." He sniffed and rubbed his eyes. "You're really a horrible human. I think you'll be the end of me."

"Sorry." Nezumi muttered.

"Don't be." Sion buried his face back in the dark-haired man's chest. "You came back to me. You chose a life as a human over a life as a rat. I get to see you every day now. I'm so happy." He began crying harder. Nezumi leaned in forward and scooped up the smaller man into his arms. Sion curled up next to him. Instantly Nezumi was filled with Sion: Sion's scent, the sound of Sion's heartbeat and breath, the feel of Sion against him. It was wonderful. For the first time as a human Nezumi felt whole.

After a few eternities, though it was probably only five minutes, Sion pulled away. Nezumi shivered in the sudden cold and fought the urge to curl up in his boyfriend's arms again. This did not go unnoticed.

"You're not wearing a coat." Sion observed.

"I didn't have time to put one on." Nezumi muttered. "It was warm this afternoon." Sion smiled and put his own jacket around Nezumi.

"It's a nice gesture but you do know it has blood on it." Nezumi wrinkled his nose. Sion rolled his eyes and wacked his arm.

"Oh, shut up. You can change when we get back to the castle. It's not my fault I fell."

"It's totally your fault!" Nezumi scoffed. "We both know you can't see well in the dark and you could have at least attempted to catch yourself when you fell. I never seen someone get as many scrapes and bruises from such a small fall." Sion opened his mouth to retort but stopped when he noticed someone over Nezumi's shoulder.

"Oh hello." He said as he staggered to his feet. "you must be Cinderella's fairy godmother." Nezumi whipped around and jumped to his feet. He had forgotten all about the fairy. She was still standing there looking agitated. Nezumi realized that the only reason she didn't just turn him back while they were talking was because Sion was a prince and that would be disrespectful. He mentally thanked stupid social conventions for stalling her.

"I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier. I'm Prince Sion, the crowned prince of this country." He smiled politely at her. "Thank you for helping Nezumi change back into a rat. I'm sorry you had to come all the way just for him to change his mind." Nezumi wondered why Sion was being so polite. The fairy looked murderous right now. This wasn't time for pleasantries. It took Nezumi a moment to realize that the prince couldn't see her face to know how angry she was.

"Sion." Nezumi muttered grabbing the prince's sleeve.

"No." The fairy said loudly.

"What?" Sion looked confused. The fairy approached. Nezumi let out a small hiss and got into a crouch again. The white-haired man looked alarmed.

"Nezumi?"

"He can't remain a human. It isn't right. A rat cannot date a prince." The fairy continued.

"What?" Sion asked surprised turning back to the fairy. "What do you mean?"

"It's wrong. He isn't supposed to date you. You were supposed to fall in love with Cinderella." The fairy was now close enough for Sion to see her face expression. He stepped back in confusion.

"Why? Why would I date her? She's my best friend!"

"I brought her to the ball so you could end up with her!" the fairy exclaimed. "It was a flawless plan! Don't tell me you wouldn't have dated her if Nezumi wasn't in the picture."

"I would." Sion said shortly. "But only because it would be better to date a friend and have a mutual partnership then to date a noble." The fairy didn't seem to be listening.

"This is all going wrong!" she complained. "Do you know how much trouble I'd be in if you ended up with him?

"Don't I get a say in that?" Sion asked angrily. Before the older woman could answer Nezumi took the opportunity to spring forward. He grabbed her wand and tried to pull it away.

"Nezumi!" Sion cried in shock.

"She's not going to listen." Nezumi said as he struggled for the wand. "If we don't take the wand, she'd turn me back."

"Get off!" the fairy shirked. Sion hesitated for a moment longer then joined the fray. They struggled there for a few minutes. Nezumi had one arm wrapped around the fairy's neck and the other hand grasping the wand. Sion was holding the fairy's legs trying to trip her. The fairy was punching Nezumi's arm while also trying to shake off Sion. After a little while Nezumi felt the wand slip slightly from the fairy's grasp. His hopes began to lift. With the prince's extra help, he knew they had a chance at winning.

"ENOUGH!" A strong blast of wind knocked into Sion and Nezumi. Nezumi felt himself fly backwards. He landed in a roll and jumped back into a crouch. Next to him he heard Sion hit the ground with a small gasp of pain. The fairy godmother raised her wand again and Nezumi's heart sank. There was no way he could get the wand or avoid the attack at this distance. He was going to be a rat again. The fairy opened her mouth and started to babble while making a motion with her wand. Nezumi relaxed as he resigned himself to his fate. At least he was able to apologize to Sion. It was a small consolation, but it was the only good thing he could grasp on.

"No!" Sion's voice rang out in the night, loud and full of panic. Before Nezumi could react Sion suddenly appeared in front of him. He wrapped the dark-haired in his arms and held him tight. The two of them made eye contact. Sion's eyes were full of love and understand. Then suddenly his eyes went wide, and the prince arched his back.

"Nezumi." He cried out, fear laced in his voice. The dark-haired man pulled him closer.

"I'm here." He said. Sion didn't seem to hear him. His eyes had turned dull as a wild animal.

"No!" Nezumi chocked through the ringing in his ears. He pulled Sion tighter. "Sion stay with me please!" As he held Sion to his chest, he felt him shrink. When he opened his arms, he found a small white bunny. The red eyed bunny twitched his nose and trembled in his arms. Nezumi stared down at him blankly. This must a nightmare. He needed to wake up. He needed to see Sion. He managed to convince himself for a whole second that everything would be alright before reality crashed back down on him.

Sion was an animal. All of his human intelligence was gone. This animal did not recognize Nezumi. It did not enjoy gardening or learning new things. It had no thoughts only survival instincts. This animal was not Sion. The thinking, laughing, enthusiastic Sion was gone. Nezumi slowly looked up to face the fairy.

"That wasn't supposed to happen!" she stammered. Nezumi staggered to his feet.

"Fix him." He snarled staggering towards her. "Turn him back. NOW!"

"I-I-" the fairy backed away slowly. "It's more complicated then that!"

"You turned me into a human." He challenged.

"But you were a rat in the first place!" the fairy shook her head vigorously. "Human transformation is different. I…I need to go!"

"Wait" Nezumi yelled rushing forward. "Change him back! Don't run you coward." The fairy panicked and waved her wand. With a suddenly light she was gone. Nezumi slowed to a stop and swore ever vulgar word under the sun. His instincts told him that this time she wouldn't return.

"Fairy!" He yelled. "Get back here and turn him back! You did this! You monster!" He yelled and yelled to the sky until his voice was horse. When he could no longer yell, he sunk to the ground. Sion the rabbit sniffed his sleeve and tried to nibble it.

"I'm sorry." He whispered to him. "I'm so sorry." He pulled the bunny close to him. He could feel its tiny heartbeat pounding against him. In the distance the clock chimed midnight.

Nezumi felt tears streaming down his face. His Sion was gone. The intelligent, fun, beautiful man he loved was gone.

It was all his fault.


	13. Chapter 13

Sir William pulled on the reins of his horse as he and his men approached the natural garden. As the horses slowed to a stop, he surveyed the area. The garden was too quiet, Nezumi and Sion were nowhere in sight. The knight jumped off his horse and quietly crept through the natural garden. Behind him his men followed. Sir William didn't where the two young men were hiding but he didn't want to give Nezumi a chance to run if he really was up to something. As they passed some trees the knight saw a hunched figure curled up on the ground. He put up a hand to stop the men behind him and softly pulled out his sword. The huddled figure didn't move. Slowly and carefully the knight crept forward again. As he approached, he could see in the faint moonlight that the figure was Nezumi. The knight's heart quickened. Nezumi was alone. The prince should have arrived long before them, yet he was nowhere in sight. As Sir William took another step forward, the dark-haired man's head snapped up to look at him. The older man couldn't really read his expression in the darkness, but he guessed the actor was surprised. The knight straightened up and approached Nezumi. He expected the dark-haired man to run or to get into a fighting stance, but instead he just sat their quietly. The dark-haired man watched until the knight came right next to him.

"Where's the prince?"

Nezumi didn't answer. He paused for a moment before uncurled his arms and holding up a small white bunny with red eyes. Sir Williams looked at it unimpressed.

"I'll ask you again. Where's Prince Sion?"

"He's the bunny." Nezumi croaked weakly. The knight felt his temper rise. The dark-haired man had always mocked him. Usually Sir Williams was able to brush it off, but this time was different. The prince could be in trouble. If the actor thought, he could get away with not answering then he was in for a shock. Sir William bent down and grabbed the front of the actor's shirt. He pulled him up to his feet until the younger man was only a few inches away from his face.

"I'll only ask you one more time. Where is the prince?"

Nezumi's eyes widened. Sir William thought he detected shock in them. In the dark-haired man's arms the rabbit trembled and tried to hide in the actor's shirt. Nezumi pushed him down as he made eye contact with the knight.

"I told you it's the rabbit!"

"Listen." The knight snarled shaking the man a little. "I know you already heard the story of the curse the prince was put under, but that spell ended long ago." He glanced down at the bunny. "You're not going to convince me that this." He grabbed the bunny and pulled it out of the younger man's hands. "Is the Prince."

The bunny squeaked and grinded it's teeth together in fear. Nezumi's eyes widened and before the knight could reacted the actor shot forward. Sir William pulled back as Nezumi's foot hit his chin. At the same time the actor's arm snatched the rabbit from the knight's grip. The older man half leapt; half stumbled backwards. In front of him the dark-haired man fell to the ground again and curled his arms protectively around the rabbit.

"Don't you dare touch him." He snarled baring his teeth like an animal. Around them the other knights pulled out their swords. Sir William lifted a hand to still them. As he did so he felt something dripping down his face. He touched his check and felt blood there. He bit back his surprise. The knight rarely got injured. Even after hours of training the new recruits he could hold his own without so much as a scratch. The older man knew Nezumi was fast, but this was something else entirely. There was an almost animalist nature to his movements. He was unpredictable and wild. Sir Williams shook his thoughts away. It didn't matter if Nezumi was stronger than he looked. Right now, he had to find the prince.

"Nezumi." He said keeping his voice soft and steady. He stepped forward so he loomed over the huddled man. "Where is the prince."

"He's the rabbit."

"Do you want me t-"

"Sir!" A voice called out. The knight paused and turned to see one of his men bend down and pick up something up from the ground. The man turned and handed the object to Sir William. It was a jacket, more specifically the prince's jacket. As his eyes traveled up it, he noticed that there was blood on the sleeves and collar. He glanced back down at Nezumi. The actor wasn't bleeding anywhere. Fear griped the older man chest. If Nezumi wasn't hurt and there was no one else here except him and the prince…

"Where's the prince!" the knight demanded yet again this time desperately laced in his voice. Nezumi didn't answer. He just glared at him defiantly. Sir William wanted to strangle him. Did the dark-haired man think he was still under the prince's protection? Nezumi was smarter than that. But then why wouldn't he just answer the knight's question. He should have figured out that Sir William had the power to hurt him if necessary. The only reason he would refusing to speak would be that his answer would anger the older man more than just staying quiet. Sir Williams could only think of one situation in which that would be the case…

If Prince Sion was dead, it wouldn't matter if Nezumi if he told them or not. It would probably be better for him to lead the knights on into believing the prince was alive by not answer. Even if the knight hurt him it would be far tamer then his fate if anyone figured out that the prince was dead.

Around him he could hear the other knights muttering to each other. Many of them were still trying to figure out what happened. Sir William ignored them as fear ran down his spine. It couldn't be true. He was wrong. The knight was jumping to conclusions. There must be another explanation for this. He couldn't be too later. The prince couldn't be gone.

"Men!" He roared. The knights turned their attention back to their leader. "Search the area Find the prince!" There as a chore of "Yes sirs!" before they turned and rushed off. Once they were all busy Sir William turned back to Nezumi.

"Listen" he tried to keep his voice neutral. Yelling at the dark-haired man wouldn't solve anything. "I don't like you and you don't like me but if the prince is still alive then you have to tell me. I can get you off easy for your crimes. It doesn't matter if you were planning to kill him or not. For your sake and mine tell me where the prince went." The knight held his breath as Nezumi's eyes slowly rose to meet his. He was hoping that he had got through to the actor. Once they made eye contact, he realized how futile his peas were. Nezumi's eyes only held only disgust.

"Are you def?" he hissed. "I already told you that he's right here!" The dark-haired man gestured at the bunny snuggled in his arms. "How many times do I need to repeat myself?"

"We both know that's not Prince Sion." The knight said. "Stop playing this game and answer me!" Nezumi was quiet. Sir William felt a weight in his stomach. It was true then.

"Sir, we searched the area but can't find the prince anywhere." A knight said as he hurried back. Behind him the other knights were returning as well. "However, we did find this." the man held up one of the prince's rings, "It was on a rock near the lake."

"Did you check the lake?"

"It's too murky and deep sir. Even in daylight we wouldn't be able to find anything in it."

Sir Williams took a deep breath in as he tried to crush his emotions. There would be time later to mourn the prince.

"Nezumi." He said when he could talk again. "You're under arrest for the assassination of Prince Sion." Nezumi's mouth fell open in shock. Around them the men murmured among themselves.

"I don't believe this." the dark-haired man growled. "Look do you want to know what happened? Sion was an idiot who thought it was a good idea to run in the dark. He fell and hurt himself and got a nosebleed. That's why there's blood on his jacket. He gave me the jacket, but it fell off when we were fighting Cinderella's stupid fairy godmother. Sion's ring probably also fell off during that fight as well."

"What a very well thought up story." Sir Williams growled. "However, why would Cinderella's fairy godmother suddenly appear and turn Sion into a rabbit?"

"She didn't do it on purpose. She was targeting me. The fairy wanted to turn me back into a rat. Sion got in the way while protecting me and she hit him by accident."

Sir William raised an eyebrow. Nezumi's story was well crafted. Everything from using rat as both his name and the animal to using Prince Sion's kind nature to explain why he was turned into a bunny was well thought out. It must have taken the actor many months to create such a story.

"I don't believing you." The knight said. " If you were a rat why didn't the prince tell me? He was hurt that I didn't trust you. Wouldn't telling me the truth make all parties happier?

"He didn't know!"

"Oh, why didn't you tell him then?"

"Because…" Nezumi trailed off. "I didn't want him to know." He looked down at the bunny. "I was so stupid."

"I see." The Sir William said dryly. He motioned to the other knights and they surrounded him. "You're sentence still stands. Come quietly or you will be hurt."

Nezumi hissed again and pulled himself into a crouch. Sir William tensed. If the dark-haired man was going to fight, it could mean trouble. The older man didn't know how strong the actor really was. Sir William opened his mouth to tell his men to be careful but before he could get any words out Nezumi moved. The dark-haired man sprang forward, landing on one of the knights. The man yelled in agony as Nezumi bit into his exposed wrist. While the man was struggling, Nezumi wrenched the knight's dagger out of its sheath. He swung it at the other approaching knights, managing to slick one man's cheek. The other men fell back cautiously. Nezumi took advantage of their slightly retreat to pushed against the knight he was attacking and topple him over. As the man fell the actor jumped over him and scurried across the garden. He moved fast and was already a good distance away before any of them could react.

"Stop him!" Sir Williams bellowed. Most of the knights gave chase. A few hung back to take care of their wounded comrades. Next to Sir Williams one of the knights pulled out a bow.

"Make sure not to kill him." Sir William ordered. "We need him alive." The man nodded and took aim. He released the arrow as Nezumi made a beeline for some trees. The older man watched the arrow fly through the air. It landed in Nezumi's upper leg. The dark-haired man gave a cry of pain but didn't slow down. Sir Williams watched as the fleeing man disappeared among the trees with his knights right behind him Once they were all out of sigh he turned back to the archer.

"How deep is that forest area?"

"Very deep sir." The archer said. "the forest goes on for miles. This natural garden is as close to that forest as most people are willing to go." Sir William cursed quietly. It was a perfect place for Nezumi to hide. The dark-haired man had proved at the caste that he was a master of stealth. If people didn't travel in the forest that meant there was no footpaths nor landmarks to follow. It would be easy for Nezumi to lose his men in there.

"Go back to the castle." He commanded. "Have them send out the hounds." He handed the man Prince Sion's shirt. "This has Nezumi's blood on it. Have the use that to find him." The man bowed and took the shirt. Sir William watched him leave before returning his attention back to the forest. Although he knew Nezumi was a master at hiding and sneaking he was still at a disadvantage. The dark-haired man was still injured and carrying that bunny. This would hopefully slow him down enough for the hounds to find him. The knight clenched his fist. Nezumi would be caught. He would pay for his crimes. There were many times in his life where Sir William had felt angry. Right now, however he was more lived then he thought possible. Prince Sion was dead. It was all Nezumi's fault.

In his mind he knew it was his fault as well. He should have never let it come this far. He shouldn't have allowed Nezumi into the castle in the first place. Even if Cinderella vouched for him, he should have realized the danger he posed. Sir William had chosen to push his worries away and to trust that Cinderella and Prince Sion was right about him. He had hoped that Nezumi truly cared about the prince and that he was just cold and aloof by nature. Even when he learned of their secret dating and that Prince Sion had chased after Nezumi, a part of the knight really hoped that they were just saying goodbye. Now however with Nezumi's fake story and the prince nowhere in sight he had to face the truth. Prince Sion was gone. He wished it wasn't so. He wished that Nezumi's story was true and the rabbit was the white haired prince. A part of him was desperate to believe anything as long as it didn't involve the prince's death. Of course, he wasn't stupid. Magic didn't just happen every day. It was already hard too believe Cinderella's story and she was an honest person.

As Sir Williams lamented the prince's fate, he heard barking in the distance. Over the hill came six hunting dogs. They were followed by more knights on horses. The dogs sniffed the ground where Nezumi was hit with an arrow. Then they poked their noses into the air and howled. One of the guards blew a horn and they all charged into the forest.

Even with the hound it took almost six hours to retrieve the dark-haired man. In that time many knights returned to their horses because of their wounds. It was clear that Nezumi was putting up quite a fight. When the guards finally dragged Nezumi out of the forest it was clear that this battle took a toll on them. Many of the men had scrapes and bruises. Two of them where limping badly. Most of them needed bandages. Nezumi himself only had the wound on his leg and some cuts on his face. He was still limping but looked like he could bolt at any moment. There was a feral look on his face as if he wanted nothing better than to tear out the men's throats with his teeth. This look did not go unnoticed by the knights who were dragging him. They kept glancing back uneasily as if they weren't sure if he was going to attack. Many of the other knights still had their sword in hand as they watched for any sudden movements. When Nezumi got closer Sir, William saw that the actor was still hugging the stupid rabbit close to his chest.

"Why does he still have that thing?" Sir Williams asked exasperated.

"It was the only way to convince him to come quietly." One of the knights replied glaring at Nezumi. "We were able to wrestle it from him. He turned himself in when we threatened to kill it."

"You'll pay for that." Nezumi snarled hugging the rabbit closer.

"He seems protective of it." Another knight said uncertainly. "I mean he did turn himself in for a bunny…Maybe there's some truth to his story" Sir Williams waved him off.

"Of course, he's protective of it. It's his cover story. If he convinces us, it's the prince then he gets off without penalty." he glared at Nezumi. "You heard of what's happening in Maphodora. Don't you think it's a little strange that Nezumi's story lines up perfectly with the events there?" All around him the knights murmured in agreement.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Nezumi snapped. "What's Maphodora?" Sir William ignored him. The actor could play innocent all he wanted, it no longer mattered.

"Take him away." The knight said to his men. "And if he tries anything funny kill the rabbit."

"If you touch him, I'll make you regret it." Nezumi hissed as the men dragged hm to the horses. Sir Williams turned his back on the scene and went to his own horse. Now that Nezumi was caught, his grief was flooding back. Prince Sion was gone. Prince Sion was dead. The little prince Sir Williams used to play with would never smile again. The young prince who asked the knight every question under the sun would never ask another question again. The teen prince who came to Sir William with a blueprint of a library would never read a book again. The adult prince who gave a speech at his coming of age party would never become king.

Prince Sion was gone.

It was almost impossible to keep his expression neutral, but the older man tried. He was a royal knight of the queen. He had to be cold even during his own grief and rage. To keep himself from showing any strong emotion he reminded himself that Nezumi was caught. The actor would pay for his crimes. It was a small consultation, but it helped.

Behind him he could hear Nezumi's snide remarks to the guards. This annoyed Sir William. Even though his grief Nezumi could make his blood boil. The dark-haired man's attitude was still so arrogant. Why was he still acting this way after they caught him? Why couldn't he just give up and submit to his fate? He should have seen this coming. What did the actor think would happen if he killed the prince? Sir William had warned him that if he hurt or laid a figure on the prince he would pay. Nezumi had managed to do both behind his back. Sir Williams would make sure that he was hung for his crimes.

.

.

.

Nezumi never thought much about how the human world worked. He didn't care who was king or who had power. He never worried much about the human's laws or what happened if one was caught breaking those laws. Now however he realized how ignorant he had been. The dark-haired man had done whatever he wanted and said whatever he wanted anytime he wanted. He had basically turned most people at the castle against him. Even if he didn't want to suck up to them, he could have been nicer. It didn't seem to matter at the time. Even if everyone hated him no one said anything. Other than some empty threats from Sir William no one even acted as if he was doing anything wrong.

Now Nezumi understood the truth. All that time the only thing protecting him from the law and those in power was Sion. The prince allowed Nezumi to do what he wanted without consequence. He put up with Nezumi's unpleasantness. He allowed Nezumi to sleep in his private library even though he didn't let most people in. The actor could go where he wanted in the castle and if anyone tried to stop him Sion would scold them. It was only now that the prince was gone, and he was accused of his murder that the dark-haired realized how lucky he was. He had never seen Sion as a prince. He knew he was, but it wasn't until now that he understood what it meant.

After Nezumi was hauled away back to the castle, he was thrown in the dungeon. Of all the places in the castle the dungeon was the one he knew the least about. There wasn't an easy way to get in or out of it. Unlike the rest of the castle the dungeon lacks passageways or exists. Whoever made it wanted to make sure no one ever escaped. Since there was no easy access to the dungeon the dark-haired man tended to avoid it. There was no reason to go down there and explore. Now he wished he had found a way to break out.

The second the dungeon bars slammed behind him he knew he was in trouble. The cell was small, and his animal instincts started panicking. Rats didn't like to be trapped somewhere they couldn't leave. The closed gate made his anxious, causing him to act out. He attempted to scale the walls and break the small bared windows. He even gnawed on the bars. The maid who brough him food panicked when she saw that. He heard her yelling that he was possessed all the way back up the dark dungeon passage. After that guards brought him his food. It took him almost a day before he was able to calm himself. Usually his human instincts would have kicked in earlier but the stress and sadness from yesterday's events dulled them

Once Nezumi had calmed down and accepted he was trapped his energy gave out. He lay there on his small stone bed with Sion tucked to his chest. Now that he wasn't moving his pain and exhaustion returned. The knights had bandaged his leg, but it didn't stop it from throbbing. The food he was given wasn't a lot and he shared more of it with Sion. He lay there in pain and hunger. It wasn't the first time he felt this way. As a rat he got into fights and had to slink away and stay the night with his wounds and hunger. He wasn't a rat however so instead of just sleeping it off he lay there in the dark lost in his gloomy thoughts. The numbness that had been persisting since Sion was turned into a rabbit was starting to wear off, leaving behind all his thoughts from the day before His thoughts bounced off the small cell as they tried to suffocate him.

Sion was gone. He was a rabbit, a dumb animal. It was all his fault. He should have done something to stop the fairy. He should have told Sion to keep out of it. Instead he welcomed his help. Now Sion was gone. And Nezumi was alone and imprisoned. It felt weird to think that the day before he met the fairy godmother he was laughing with the prince in their garden. The warmth of that afternoon seemed years ago. It felt like he hadn't seen Sion for ages. He already missed the white-haired man's laughter and smile. At that moment Nezumi would have given anything to see them again.

In the back of his mind the dark-haired man dully wondered what was going to happen to him. He didn't need to wait long to learn his fate. The trail was a few days later. There Nezumi told his whole story in front of a court. He started all the way back from the first night as a human to the night when Sion became a bunny. It hurt telling his story to stranger, as if he was revealing something personal. He felt as if he was being exposed to them, all his secrets and past laid out for them to analyze. All his instincts were telling him to stay quiet, but if speaking would help free him and mean that Sion could spend the rest of his life comfortably as a bunny…well then it would be worth it. After he finished his story there was a stunned silence followed by commotion. To Nezumi's disappointment his story was received with skepticism and anger. No one believed him. He had lay bare his secrets, his past and it was being discarded. It made him sick.

After the uproar died down, it was Sir William turn to talk. The knight stood up and gave his piece about some kingdom's rebellion. Nezumi had to admit it was strange how those events correlated with his plan. The dates were close enough that it looked like Nezumi could be an assassin. Even though the dark-haired man explained that it was a coincident, by the end it didn't matter. Everyone believed Sir William over Nezumi. The actor would have felt more agitated if he didn't understand why that happened. After all, why believe the manipulating suspicions intruder over the queen's personal knight?

After he was found guilty the court, they debated on what should be done. This took a few days to decided. Nezumi was sent back and forth from prison as they argued over his fate. Some of the nobles wanted to torture him. They had multiple reasons for wanting this. Some argued that if he was an assassin, he must have information. Others just wanted revenge for his crimes against the beloved prince. Many other people were afraid to keep him alive. They argued that their neighboring kingdom was too powerful and if they kept him alive someone would be sent to free him. These people wanted to execute Nezumi quickly and send his head back as a threat. Sir William was part of the second group. He pointed out how many assassins attempts these days were done in groups. He argued that Nezumi probably had comrades somewhere who were buying their time until the right moment to free him. Once again, the knight influenced the court. After a couple days he won out and the actor's fate was decided.

Nezumi was sentenced to death by hanging by dawn the next day.


	14. Chapter 14

The evening before his execution was a gloomy one. Nezumi watched the sun slowly set knowing he would never see it fully rise again. He no longer felt trapped. He no longer was mourning. He was numb. It really didn't matter anymore, nothing did. Between the numbness and his lack of things to do other than to wait, he found himself running over the situation that led to this point. Questions like, "what could I have done differently?" ran though his head. It was easiest to blame the fairy for everything that happened. He could say it was all her fault and curse her name as he was led out to be executed but he knew it was more complicated then that. The truth was, though he hated to admit it, it was his fault as well. The actor had been given multiple chances to choose a path and stick with it. If he had decided to stay human, then he would have told Sion the truth and they would have planned on how to take down the fairy in the safety of the castle. If he had decided to stay to stay a rat, then he should have gone to the garden and not change his mind halfway through the process. His indecision was his and Sion's downfall. It was ironic how he always blamed humans for their wishy-washy ways and here he was the most wishy-washy of them all. It was pathetic.

Nezumi also decided it was partly Sion's fault. The prince shouldn't have sacrificed himself to save the dark-haired man. The prince should have been smart and realized this was Nezumi's mess and Nezumi should take care of it. He should have seen a lost cause and just left him to his fate. He knew it wasn't in the prince's personality to do so but it still annoyed him. He knew the prince would always defend the actor even when he didn't deserve it. It was something that he both loved about the prince and despised. He knew kindness and empathy were weaknesses that lead to pain and suffering. His years of as a rat had taught him that much. He looked out for himself and no one else. Sion's actions were his own stupidity and downfall. Yet…yet Nezumi found himself drawn to Sion's kindness. Even though it was a weakness it was something he loved about the prince. When the white-haired man allowed Nezumi into his life the dark-haired man had found a home there. He was able to let his guard to go down a little and relax. He knew if he reached out Sion would take him and hold him secure. This gentle kindness was one of the many reasons that Nezumi had fallen in love. As he thought of the princes' sweet smile and kindness a lump formed in the actor's throat. If only Sion was a little less kind; (he couldn't ask for him to be not kind at all) then the white-haired man would be human right now.

In the distance the sound of footsteps approaching pulled Nezumi out of his thoughts. Blinking in the now dark cell he glanced at the window. How much time had passed? Was its morning already? From his view he could see a faint glow over the horizon as the last bit of sun disappeared. His execution wasn't until the next morning, he still had time. Nezumi closed his eyes and readjusted his expression. For a second he had panicked. The dark-haired man didn't want whoever was coming to see his weakness. Once his face was neutral, he listened to the approaching footsteps. They were heavy and stiff. They definitely belonged to a guard. He listened again; the footsteps had a rhythmic pattern to them. He could identify them as Sir Williams. Nezumi surprised a sigh. He didn't want to deal with the knight at that moment. It was easier to mock the random guards and knights who didn't have much power to fight back. Sir William's misguided grief and anger were too much for him. Just as he predicted the knight came around the corner.

"This is a surprise." Despite his best effort for neutrality Nezumi couldn't help the irritation that slipped into his voice. "For what do I own this pleasure?"

The knight didn't answer right away. He just observed the imprisoned man solemnly. At the sight of the older man's expression Nezumi felt some of his numbness eb away. He remembered how the knight had hurt and threatened Sion's life. His own prince's life…It made Nezumi's blood boil. The knight was too loyal for his own good. If he could have gotten off his high horse and just see that there was a possibility that Sion could be the rabbit, he wouldn't have hurt the prince back then. Nezumi remembered the sound of Sion's panic squeaking and he pulled back his lips in a snarled. Sir William noticed this, and his frown deepened. The dark-haired man forced his expression back to neutral. He was over this already. Blaming the stupid knight for his passion wouldn't do anything.

"Did you come down here just to stare at me or is there a reason for your visit?"

"I'm here to bring you your last meal." The older man pushed a plate with a slice of bread and some cheese through the bars. "A meal fit for a rat."

"How kind of you." Nezumi took the plate and gave the cheese to Sion. The bunny gratefully chomped down on the food. Sir William watched him.

"Why are you feeding it?" he finally asked. "We all know it's not Prince Sion. You're just wasting food." Nezumi ignored him and bit into the bread. It was stale but edible. As a rat he had eaten worse.

"What happened to Cinderella?" he asked ignoring the knight's question. "Is she also in prison?" He didn't know why he cared. He didn't really like the naive girl. She was tolerable at best and annoying at worse. Even so, it seemed cruel if she was killed, especially since it would be Nezumi's fault. The dark-haired man cursed quietly. He had become way to soft as a human.

"No. It was decided that she was manipulated by you into believing your ridiculous story." The knight waved his hand. "We all know how good you are as an actor. It's the only explanation."

"I see." Nezumi didn't bother to point out how farfetched that theory was. It really didn't matter. Truthfully, he was slightly relieved to hear that she was alright. He didn't want her death on his conscious as well. A part of Nezumi found it interesting how, by getting along with everyone, Cinderella was protected by Sir William. Cinderella might be an idiot, but she understood human culture. That's why she knew not to provoke the guard's anger.

"She didn't get off completely thought." The knight's voice tightened. "It was her alibi that allowed you to stay near the prince. She's currently under house arrest in the castle."

"Oh dear, poor her." Nezumi muttered dryly. He took another bite and chewed. Sion nudged his arm and Nezumi fed him some of the bread. He watched the bunny hungerly gobbled it down.

"What's going to happen to Sion after you hang me?" he asked.

"You mean the rabbit. Probably make him into rabbit stew." The knight shrugged. This got Nezumi's attention.

"Why? If I'm dead, then this whole thing is over. Why would you still take it out on Sion? He's innocent."

"Perhaps."

"What do you think he's an assassin too?" Nezumi aske waving a hand irritably. "Maphodora must be quite an impressive country if they can train bunny assassins."

"It could be carrying a letter." Sir Williams stated. Nezumi stared at him incredulously.

"Where? In a little bunny pouch?"

"I'm not stupid. I know people can hide letters and other small items in animals. It's a common way to sneak something out." He glared at Nezumi. "Don't you think it was too obvious? After all, why would you try to keep the rabbit alive after your cover was blown?"

"You're insane." Nezumi concluded weakly. "Accuse me of crimes. Blame me for everything. Hang me if you must, but stop taking this out on Sion." His voice became pleading. "Just let him be." The knight gave a mirthless laugh.

"You're good you know that?" he said coldly as he turned to leave. "You're acting is on par. If I didn't know you were Eve I would actually believe in your story. It's no wonder you won the prince over." He glared back at him. "Goodbye Nezumi or Eve or whatever your real name is."

"Wait!" Nezumi called to the retreating back of the knight. It was no use. After a few minutes the footsteps faded away.

Nezumi stood there fuming. He had always assumed that after his death Sion would be able to live the rest of his life peacefully as a bunny. Maybe be would be allowed to live in their little garden. Sion would like that. Now however he realized Sion was going to be eaten. His Sion was going to be killed, chopped up into pieces, and cooked to feed the nobles. They were going to eat their own prince. The thought of it made him gag. It was disgusting. It was horrifying. It was all his fault.

Sion nudged his hand for more food. Nezumi bent down and picked him up. The rabbit nuzzled into his hands sniffing around clearly still hungry.

"I'm sorry." He croaked. "I did this to you." He gave a weak laugh. "I messed everything up." Sion gave up on looking for food and curled into his stomach. Nezumi put his hand gently on the prince's head and rubbed it. Sion's fur was soft and fluffy. It was different from the softness of the prince's hair. Sion's hair was soft and velvety. It made the dark-haired man miss Sion all over again. Nezumi closed his eyes and buried his face in Sion's fur. He could hear the small bunny's heartbeat against his face. In the silence that followed Nezumi came to a conclusion. He brought up his head and walked to the barred window.

"You need to leave." Nezumi pushed the little bunny through the bars. "Go make a life for yourself out there. This is your chance to escape." The rabbit hopped a few feet away sniffing the clean night air. After a few moments he stilled, and his ears pricked. Then he turned back to the window and quickly scampered through the bars into Nezumi's arms.

"What are you doing? Leave!" he tried again but Sion pressed his paws into the ground and refused to budge. The dark-haired gridded his teeth and pushed harder. He managed to get Sion through the window only to have the bunny return. He attempted it again and again, but Sion always came back. Finally, he gave up and slumped down against the wall. Sion sniffed his boot. Nezumi watched him dully.

It was no use. When Nezumi was human, his wild rat instincts remained. Now that Sion was a bunny, he still had traces of his human side. He was too domestic. He had next to no animal instincts. All he knew was that Nezumi was his food source. He had no reason to leave his food source. No matter what the dark-haired man said to him, the rabbit couldn't understand the danger. He would always return to Nezumi's side until the end.

"Damn it." Nezumi burying his face in his hands. He couldn't believe this was how his life was going to end. He had doomed himself. He had doomed this kingdom by taking its heir. He had doomed Cinderella to suspicion. He had doomed Sion to be eaten. He had ruined everything. He was trapped, helpless, useless. He hated it. He hated humans with a burning passion. As he wallowed in his hatred, he heard a new set of footsteps approaching. These were soft and uneven. He could recognize them anywhere; Cinderella was coming to pay him a visit. After a few seconds Cinderella appeared around the corner. She paused when she saw him her eyes widen with shock.

"You look horrible" she whispered.

"What did you expect?" Nezumi snapped. He really didn't want to deal with her right now.

"Are you alright?"

"Did you come down here to ask me stupid questions?"

Cinderella bit her lip and looked around the cell until her eyes fell on Sion. She bent down and reached her fingers through the bars. The bunny hopped over and sniffed them curiously.

"Is that Prince Sion?"

"Yes." Nezumi said his annoyance fading. "I take it you believe my story then?"

"I do." Cinderella turned her attention back to Nezumi, her eyes watering. "It's unfair that it came to this." She stood up, wringing her hands fretfully. "I tried to explain what happened, but they don't believe me."

"Why is it so hard to believe?" Nezumi asked irritated. "Sion was almost turned into a rabbit when he was a child. You got to go to the ball because of a fairy. Why can't they believe that Sion's the rabbit? It's like Sir William is trying to turn a blind eye to the truth." The young woman looked startled.

"I forget sometimes." Cinderella whispered. "How much you don't understand. Magic is…strange. It's not consistent. In different places magic means different things. Although magical things can happen in this land it's rare. If you go to the lands in the far east, you'll find more magical creature. I heard that dragons live there in the open. If you travel to the lands in the far west, you'll find that even normal people can do magic. All the kingdoms there have court magicians. Where we are though, magic is more random and sporadic. Magical things only happen every century or so. That's why Sion's situation as a child was so dire. We don't have a court magician and traveling alchemists are rare and not effective."

"I see." Since Nezumi came from a magical spell, he never thought about how relevant magic was to the world.

"You have to understand. Having two magical occurrences within a century is considered strange. People have a hard time believing that a fairy appeared to me. Even those who do believe me find it frightening. Having a third magical occurrence is…unheard of." She shot Nezumi an apologetic look. "It's so unlikely that no one would believe you."

"You believe me." Nezumi pointed out.

"I know your whole story." Cinderella said. "Sion would believe you as well. If he wasn't a rabbit, he would understand your side of the story. Ever since he had a spell cast on him, he researched more about magic than anyone else." Nezumi was quiet as he mulled things over. Now that he understood, he saw why his story was met by skepticism. No wonder Sir William didn't believe him at all. This left only one path left open to him.

"Take Sion." The dark-haired man scooped up and pushed the little bunny through the bars into Cinderella's arms. Sion wriggled and tried to get back to Nezumi. "Sir Williams wants to kill him because he thinks I am using him to smuggle letters. You need to keep him away from the knights until you are released from the castle." Nezumi gulped. "Give him a good life. Make sure he's never hungry or scared." He stopped talking as a wave of emotions hit him. He fought back his tears. He was not going to cry in front of Cinderella.

"No."

Nezumi looked at her. He must have heard her wrong.

"No?"

"Nezumi I can't do that." She handed the rabbit back. Sion gratefully snuggled against Nezumi.

"You don't understand." Nezumi said desperate laced in his voice. "He's going to die." He picked up the rabbit and held him out again. "Take him, please!"

"Nezumi." She paused. "I can't let you die either. I have an idea…or at least I've been researching…Have you heard of the Midnight Fairy Circle?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Nezumi snapped. The midnight fairy circle was a mythical circle of rocks that was supposedly a portal to the fairy world. It was just a myth; however, people had been visiting it for centuries and no one had seen a single magical occurrence there. It was just a bunch of rocks that looks mysterious enough to make humans super superstitious.

"If you bring him there then maybe you can turn him back."

"Cinderella." Nezumi said slowly. "You do understand how dumb that is. We both know it's fake. It's been proven over and over again. You just told me how rare magic is. Why would there suddenly be a magical portal that no one ever could get through." Cinderella was quite for a moment.

"Prince Sion believed it exist." She whispered.

"Sion was an optimistic."

"Nezumi, if anyone could get in it would be you." She said calmly. "You're a rat. Rats get into all sorts of places."

"That's your reasoning?" Nezumi asked.

"Please Nezumi, this could be the only chance to turn him back."

Nezumi was quiet. As ludicrous as it was a small part of him wanted to try. Sion was basically dead either way. As a rabbit he was still not human Sion. He could try The Midnight Fairy Circle and if it didn't work, he would run away with Sion or, if he caught again, he could set Sion free.

"You do realize you'll get in trouble." Nezumi warned. "Not even your good will can protect you from this."

"I know." Cinderella gulped. "But this could be our only chance. According to Prince Sion magic is more reversible at the beginning of a spell. He hasn't been a rabbit for that long. We still have time."

"If this doesn't work, I'll break you free." Nezumi promised. "And we can try to fix this. We'll go west until we find someone who can undo the spell." Cinderella nodded weakly. Nezumi let out a long sigh. Now that he had a plan his numbness was disappearing. He could do this. He would do this for Sion. This wasn't the end.

"Ok then, The Midnight Fairy Circle is supposed to open every full moon at midnight." Nezumi said. "When is the next full moon?"

"In three days,"

"That's not enough time."

"It is if you go by horse." Cinderella said. "There's one that is always tied to the front gate in case a messenger had to be sent out in a hurry." Nezumi closed his eyes and rubbed his temple. Cinderella didn't seem to have planned this very well.

"Did you get the key to my cell."

"No"

"Lock picks."

"Where would I have found those?" Cinderella asked. Nezumi growled in frustration.

"Pray tell how I'm supposed to get out?"

"With this." the young woman handed him a small bag. "It's Sleeping Beauty Powder. I found the plant next to the recipe. When the guards come to get you blow some in their faces." Nezumi took the bag as an insane notion to laugh almost overcame him. This was not how he expected to use his sleeping powder. Back at the garden Nezumi would never had thought he would have to escape prison.

"Thank you."

"Don't" Cinderella looked down sadly. "It's my fault the guards found you. I told them where you were. I-I didn't realize what Sir William's would do."

"I'm not surprised" Nezumi said dryly. "You were always naive enough to believe the best of everyone."

"So did Prince Sion."

"Yeah." Nezumi chuckled weakly. "And look where that got him." Cinderella stepped away from his cell.

"I have to go." She said. "I was allowed to visit you to say goodbye. If I say any longer, they'll get suspicious." She paused. "Goodbye and…good luck."

"Thanks" Nezumi muttered as she disappeared around the corner. Once she was gone Nezumi sunk to the ground. He needed to make a quick plan and get some sleep. If he wanted to make it to the Midnight Fairy Circle by the full moon, he would have to ride almost nonstop for three days. He wouldn't be able make it if he didn't sleep now.

Sion hopped forward and sniffed experimentally at the bag of sleeping powder. Nezumi chuckled and he took it away.

"That's not food." He said pocketing it and lying down. "Trust me you wouldn't like it." Sion bounced over to Nezumi's chest and curled up next to him. A few seconds later soft purring emerged from the rabbit. A lump rose in the dark-haired man's throat and he gently stroked his ears. "I promise I'll get you back."


	15. Chapter 15

Nezumi woke up suddenly to the sounds of loud clanking and clamoring. For a moment he thought he had overslept, and the guards had come for him. On further investigation however he found that Sion had cause the noise by knocking over the food tray. He probably was searching for any leftover crumbs and mistakenly hit it with his paw. The rabbit in question was frozen, his nose twitching as he searched for the danger. After a few seconds when nothing else made a loud sound he went back to sniffing the tray. Nezumi sighed as he relaxed. Although Sion had nearly given him a heart attack this would be a good time to start preparing for his escape. He would have naturally woken up in the next tine minutes, but since he was up now there was no reason to try go to back to sleep. Outside his cell he could see a small patch of light over the horizon. Nezumi guessed that he had about thirty minutes before the guards came. This gave him just enough time to prepare for the challenges ahead.

Nezumi tore of small parts of his pants and tied the bag of sleeping powder in the inside of waste band. Although it left a small bump it wasn't very noticeable. Next, he tore of the bottom part of his shirt and made a sling. He put it on and tested to see if Sion could fit in it comfortably. The rabbit wriggled a little but wasn't too squashed, if anything he actually seemed to enjoy snuggling against Nezumi. It was harder to get the rabbit out of the sling then putting him in. Sion pressed his body against Nezumi when he tried to take him out. Once the bunny was removed, he tried to climb back in.

"Not yet." Nezumi muttered as he sat the rabbit on the ground and took of the sling. "I can't keep you in there. It would look to suspicious."

Sion sniffed the sling before losing interest and hopping back to the food tray. Nezumi rolled his eyes and watched him. It was funny to think that, as far as Sion knew, nothing important was going to happen.

In the distance there was the sound of metal boots approaching. Nezumi tensed. He knew that this time it wasn't Sion. As the footsteps continued Nezumi relaxed his posture. The guards would be suspicious if the dark-haired man looked as if he was about to strike. Nezumi was supposed to be down and defeated. The actor took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He scooted the sling under his cell bench and sat down. When the guards were almost around the corner, Nezumi took a small handful of sleeping powder out from the hidden pouch. He relaxed his hands, so it wasn't as noticeable. After another few footsteps the guard came into view.

"Time to go." He said gruffly unlocking the cell. "Stand by far end wall with your back towards me." Nezumi stared at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"To make sure you don't escape."

The dark-haired man shrugged and complied. He heard the door open and the guard approach cautiously. Nezumi felt a twinge of pride at the guard's hesitation. Even locked up and weaponless, the dark-haired man had proved to be a good fighter and a fierce opponent. As a rat these traits were what made other rats leave him alone. His smugness ebbed away. He wasn't a rat anymore, and these trains make humans fear him. At this moment human's fear would only hinder him. The guard seemed to feel the same way. He stepped right behind the actor and grabbed his hands.

"What you are doing?" Nezumi asked clenching his fist over the sleeping powder.

"Tying your hands."

"Last time you tied them in front of my body, not behind them." He complained.

"I'm under orders to tie your hands behind you in case something happens."

"I see." Nezumi could feel the binds twisting around his wrist. He scowled in frustration. That would put a damper on his plan. If his hands were tied in front of him, it would be easy to hit the guard with the sleeping powder. Now however it would be a real challenge to get the powder to the man's face. He wished that Sir William's underestimated him, but he knew that the knight understood how good he was at fighting. He should have seen this coming.

"Why are you're fist bunched up?" The guard's voice brought Nezumi back to the present.

"Nervous." Nezumi muttered. "Can I turn around now?" There was a pause from behind him before the guard reluctantly said,

"Alright."

Nezumi turn around slowly, taking the time to make sure his face didn't show any emotion. It was uncomfortable to have his hands behind his back. The second he was facing the guard, the man put a sword to his neck.

"I thought I was going to be hanged not stabbed to death." Nezumi commented nonchalantly. If there was any time, he was extremely glad to be an actor it was now. His nervous were shot and he felt desperate. Panicking wouldn't help. He needed to be nonchalant and calm in order to keep the guard talking. That would give him time to find a way out of his predicament.

"Sir William's ordered me to take the rabbit." The guard's hand tightened on the sword and Nezumi notice that his left hand had a bite mark on it. " I don't want to be bitten again. Any funny moves and I will have to strike." Nezumi felt a chill travel down his spine.

"Where are you going to take him?"

"The kitchen."

"Don't you dare!" The dark-haired man snarled.

"Careful." The guard said pushing the blade up to the prisoner's neck. Nezumi fought to stay still. It wouldn't do any good to fight the man while he had his sword. If Nezumi died, then Sion stood no chances of making it out alive.

Instead of fighting he stilled himself and waited for the right moment to strike. He silently hoped that Sion had hid in the cell. He hoped that Sion was out of sight of the man so he would have to turn his head to look for him. These hopes were crushed however when Nezumi felt something soft bump against his leg. The dark-haired man closed his eyes for a moment and swore softly. Of course, Sion was by his side. The guard probably scared him. The bunny was hoping for some protection from Nezumi. The guard bent over, his eyes still on the dark-haired man as he reached for the rabbit. Nezumi could feel Sion press against his legs as he attempted to avoid the reaching hand. After a few more attempts Nezumi heard Sion's squeals of fear.

"Got you." The knight muttered as he began lifting the rabbit. The prince's cries made Nezumi tense. It hurt to hear Sion's pain and fear. His Sion was afraid. His Sion had come to him for protection and he had failed him. The dark-haired man could do nothing but watch. After a seconds Sion appeared in Nezumi's line of vision. The actor watched the writhing, squirming animal fighting with all his might.

 _"If you move the guard will kill you. Then Sion is as good as dead."_ He desperately reminded himself. _"You can't do anything for him at the moment just stand still."_ Even so it got harder as Sion's cries became louder and more terrified. In a desperate attempt to escape Sion put his paws against the man's hand and pushed with all his might while wriggling.

"Damn it!" the guard hissed as the bunny broke free. He tumbled to the ground and shot out of sight. The guard turned his head to see where the rabbit had gone.

This was the chance Nezumi as waiting for. With the man's attention away from Nezumi, his sword relaxed slightly. Nezumi twisted his head around the sharp object and bit the man's left hand, right over his first bite mark. The man cried out in pain and dropped the sword. He wrenched his hand free of Nezumi's jaw and cradled it to his chest. Nezumi attempted to dart around the guard but before he could move, the man hit him in the chest, knocking him back. Usually the actor would be able to catch himself but with his hands tied behind his back he could do nothing but brace himself for the impact. Nezumi hit the ground hard and sprawled across the floor. He coughed up something wet and metallic tasting. He spat out the blood from his mouth and glared up at the guard. The man reached down and grabbed Nezumi by the hair.

"You'll pay for that." He growled in the dark-haired man's ears.

"How?" Nezumi challenged through clenched teeth. "I'm going to be hung. Sir William will be upset if you kill me."

"Trust me." The man's voice was cold and cruel. "Sometimes there are worst things then death." The guard smacked the dark-haired man across the face. Nezumi fell back to the ground. He could feel the man's foot pound against his back. Each hit was fiercer than the next. Nezumi grunted in pain and rolled to avoid the last kick.

"You're quite immature of a knight." Nezumi surveyed weakly. "Surely there's a code on how to treat prisoners. Your prince would be displeased." At these words the man stilled. His eyes filled with anger and he bent down and pulled Nezumi up by the front of his shirt.

"Don't you dare talk about Prince Sion!" He hissed. "Don't you dare speak of him!" He got closer to the actor's face. "I'm allow to use physical punishment if you try to escape." A cold smile crossed his face "Sir Williams knew you would."

"He was right." Nezumi said and pulled his hands out of their binding. He swung his arms around and smacked the guard's face. The man looked absolutely shocked as the sleeping powder took effect. His eyes dulled and rolled back as he staggered away from Nezumi. Once his hands released the dark-haired man's shirt, Nezumi fell to the ground with a groan. In front of him the guard keeled over and fell in a heap on the floor.

Nezumi sat there for a few seconds as he caught his breath. That had been a close call. If the man had been any less distracted, he would have noticed that the actor was twisting and turning his hands in order to get free. The dark-haired man had to dislocate one of his wrists to do so but it was worth it. With a painful hiss he pops it back into place and massaged his wrist. If there was one thing animal's had over humans was the ability to wriggle out of traps. Humans were stupid and just complied when they were caught. Nezumi however was a rat. Rats did not stay calm. Rats did not stay caught. He had known rats who gnawed off their own legs to escape captivity.

As he rubbed his wrist he looked around for Sion. At first glance the rabbit was nowhere in sight. Nezumi worried for a moment that he had left the cell. It took him a few seconds to locate the small animal. Sion had scrambled into a crack in the wall under the cell's window. He was huddled in the back of it trembling in terror.

"It's alright now." Nezumi said gently bending down next to the crack. "See it's just me." Sion leaned his head forward and sniffed Nezumi's hand. Once he identified him, he slowly and timidly left the crack. Once he was out the dark-haired man scooped him up and carried him over to the sling.

"We're leaving." He told the rabbit. "I'll make sure no one else hurts you." He slipped the bunny into the sling. Sion curled into a small ball and trembled. Nezumi could feel the small animal's heartbeat pound against his chest.

"It's going to be alright." Nezumi stuck his hand int eh sling and patted Sion's soft head. "I promise." The quivering lump relaxed. Nezumi took his hand out of the sling and turned his attention to the unconscious guard. A part of him, the human part, wanted to make the man pay. He wanted to break the man's nose or arm. That man had scared and hurt Sion. That man had beaten the actor even though he was a prisoner. Instead Nezumi stripped him the ring of keys and headed out of the cell.

It turned out that breaking from the cell was the hardest part of his escape. Once Nezumi was out of the dungeon he knew all the passageways to get through the castle without being noticed. He had slunk around the castle for months now. He knew every hall, every room, every closet and every tower . He made good time sneaking through the castle. He knew he didn't have too long until Sir Williams realized something was wrong. He had to finish his tasks and leave the castle before then.

Nezumi's first stop was the kitchen. Once he slunk inside, he located provisions for their long journey. He stole a bag that was used for kitchen supplies and began filling it up with food. He also grabbed something to eat. It wasn't until he took the first bite of cooked chicken that he realized how hungry he was. After mowing down on a quick but filling meal, he stuck some veggies into the sling for Sion and departed. It was a little harder to travel around the castle with the bunny's hungry crunches echoing around the corridor, but he made do. Sion was starving after only eating the awful prison food. He deserved a full belly as well.

The next stop was the infirmary. There Nezumi had to knock out the unfortunate nurse who had been chancing the sheets on a bed. Once she was out, he rummaged through the cabinets to get medicine and bandages. Once he filled his bad full of supplies, he took care of all his injuries. After that he took care of Sion's injuries. Helping Sion's turned out to be quite a challenge. The bunny didn't like the herbs being pressed into his cuts and he wiggled and chattered in protest.

"Oh, stop it." Nezumi scoffed. "You're the one who taught me to always clean out injuries so they wouldn't get infected." Nezumi remembered when Sion showed him how to use medicine. The prince had teased him that he didn't even know how to bandage his arm. Nezumi had sulked but didn't complain. Of all the useless human rules this one was pretty important. The memory made Nezumi's insides clench. He wanted Sion back so badly.

 _"Soon, you'll get him soon."_ His mind promised

The third stop was Sion's bed changer. There he borrowed clothes for traveling clothes. It would be a hard few days of travel and he needed the proper attire. He found a thick pair of traveling pants, a jacket over a plain shirt, and a dark clock. While he changed Sion hopped around the bed sniffing. He seemed to recognize his own scent and easily got comfortable. It took Nezumi a few tries to drag the bunny off the bed and back into the sling.

"Seriously Sion." Nezumi muttered after he got him in. "How are you still this annoying as an animal?"

The last stop was Sion's library. This was the second hardest part of his escape. The safest route to the library passed by the castle's gallows. It wasn't a route that he usually traveled, since Sion always tried to avoid it, but Nezumi knew a passage that made it easier to get there without passing the guard's posts.

As he slinked around the dark corners of the courtyard, the gallows came into view. Usually it was empty but today there was a whole lot of people gathered around. The queen sat in a royal chair under a canopy. Next to her stood Sir William. Around the two, guards were stationed and around them there were people mulling around. Although most of the people were staff and nobles there was a surprisingly large number of commoners. It seemed that many people had come to see the death of the man who killed their beloved prince.

"It's taking him quite a while," the queen eyed the knight. "Perhaps something went wrong?"

"Nezumi's probably putting up a fight." Sir William responded. "He's not one to go quietly."

"Then we should send in more guards."

"Sir John Hamton is one of the most capable men I know." The older knight paused. "However, if it takes him to much longer, I'll send in reinforcements." Nezumi cursed quietly. He knew he had only minutes left . The dark-haired man passed by them unnoticed and snuck through the library's window.

The inside of the library was exactly how he remembered it. It wasn't like it would suddenly chance now that Sion was a rabbit but seeing it so normal brought back memories. It felt like any other day in there, as if Sion would just show up and they would read together. Nezumi stood paralyzed in the middle of the room. It took him a few second to remember why he was here. He mentally slapped himself. He couldn't just lose himself in memories, he had a job to do. He needed to find the map to The Midnight Fairy Circle. Nezumi went to the section that Sion kept all his maps. He always felt that the prince had more maps then he needed there. Sion had maps of buildings, of countries, towns, mythical paces, the word, faraway lands, various buildings, and of kingdoms long lost in time. Nezumi had no idea why anyone would want so many maps. It took a while to shift through them all. Sion loved to organize his books and maps in a way that made it hard for Nezumi to find anything. The prince always said that had 'a system' so he could find everything he needed easily. The actor wished the prince had organized his room a little more typically. He made a mental note to learn Sion's system once everything was fixed. Finally, he located the map in question. He pulled it out and surveyed it. Once he got the feel for the map, he put it in the bag. He was just turning to get Sion when a loud voice yelled from outside.

"He's gone! The assassin excepted!"

Nezumi swore loudly and darted across the room. He scooped up Sion who was happily gnawing on the cover of _Hamlet_ and deposited him non to gently back into the pouch. The dark-haired man jumped out the window and charged the old storage house. He slid inside and pulled open the trap door that was in the back. It used to be an herb cellar, but it had been long forgotten. The herb cellar had other uses as well. Long ago Nezumi guessed it was also used as an escape route in case of a fire. It had a tunnel that lead all the way to the exit of the castle.

As Nezumi softly darted through the tunnel he could hear frantic footsteps and the muffled sound of yelling above him. In his mind he made a mental check list of all the places they would search for before realizing that he escaped. First, they would check in his usual hiding places. Nezumi had purposely left some of his items in certain areas of the castle to make the allusion that he spent a lot of time there. It was a good way to keep people off his track. He used this a lot whenever he had to sneak Sion out. The knight would be too busy checking those places to realize he had already left the castle. The dark-haired man quietly thanked the fact that humans were slow learners. It had been mouths since he made those "secret hiding places" yet Sir William hadn't caught on that they were fake. On reason for this was that the knight was under the assumption that Nezumi didn't know he knew about these places.

After those places proved unhelpful, the knights would probably check Sion's library since Nezumi had lived there. There they would discover that the library was broken into. Nezumi had first planned to leave the library the way he found it, but he had run out of time thanks to Sion's stupid "system". Once they found the library trashed, they would search for whatever Nezumi had taken. This was the unfortunate part. Sir William knew Sion's system better than Nezumi. He would be able to locate the missing map must faster than the dark-haired man. After that they would head to the Midnight Fairy Circle. Nezumi would be chased all the way there. The smartest thing he could have done was to burn down the library but Nezumi didn't have the heart to do it. Not only were books precious to him but the library itself was important. It held memories of Sion in them. This library was an extension of the prince. Burning it down would be like killing a part of the white-haired man. Of course, there was always the fact that Sion would be pissed to learn that his library was gone if he was turned back into a human.

 _"When he is turns back to a human"_ Nezumi reminded himself. He had one shot at this, and he wasn't going to fail. He would do anything to return the prince to his original form. With that thought in mind Nezumi picked up his pace.

After a few more minutes of running he finally burst out of the tunnel and into the shallow part of the moat. He shivered as his boots sunk in the shallow water. This would be another challenge for him. He knew that there was a blind spot in the wall only a half a minute swim from here. The biggest problem was that to keep the guards from noticing him he would have to swim under water.

"Sorry about this." he murmured to Sion as he dove. The water was murky and cold. His body screamed in protest as he made his way through the green water. His hunger and exhaustion didn't help much. It made it difficult to keep a steady pace. Then there was Sion. The bunny kept kicking him as he attempted to escape the sling. Nezumi had to hold him with one arm as he swam. He knew Sion was panicking. There's no way to explain to a bunny that swimming under water was necessary. As far as Sion was concerned Nezumi was trying to drown him.

Finally, after what felt like forever, he reached his destination. He popped up gasping for air and dragged himself into the shadow of the watch tower. Once out of the water he rung out his clothes and hair to the best of his ability. Sion broke free of the sling and darting a few feet away coughing up water. Once he was back to normal, he shook the water from his fur and sniffed around. Then after a few seconds of shivering in the early morning air he hopped back to Nezumi. The dark-haired man looked down at the trembling bunny.

"You're not very smart are you." He grumbled. A smarter animal would have taken Nezumi's attempt to "drown" them as a threat and stayed away from the dark-haired man. Sion however was just as oblivious as an animal as he was when he was human.

"We better get moving." Nezumi said picking up the trembling rabbit and slipping him in the sling. He thought Sion would fight going back into the sling but to his surprise Sion easily went it. He shuffled around for a moment while he got comfortable before curling up.

"You know if this doesn't work, we're going to have a big problem on our hands." Nezumi informed the lump in the sling. "If I have to sent you free in the wild, you're not going to even last 2 minutes." From inside the sling came the sound of snoring. Nezumi started down at it.

"You're hopeless." He groaned. "Seriously you nearly drowned, at least show some common sense." He paused for a second before remembering that Sion couldn't respond. Nezumi almost face palmed. Of course, he couldn't, he was a dumb rabbit. Even so it was easier to talk to him as if he was listening then to face the truth that Sion could not understand nor comprehend what the dark-haired man was saying.

"I'm as bad as Cinderella." the young woman had done the exact same thing when he was a rat. Now that he was on the human side of it, he could finally understand how easy it was to project feelings onto animals.

Yelling from on top of the wall brought Nezumi back to his senses. The guards apparently found the unconscious nurse. Nezumi frowned. This wasn't the time to lose himself in thought. He needed to get to that horse. The dark-haired man crept across the shadows of the wall until the messenger's horse was visible. There was only one guard stationed next to it. Nezumi knew this would be the time to act. The guards on the wall were running around looking for him inside the castle. If he didn't move now, they might turn their attention outwards. Without making a sound the actor darted forward and wacked sleeping powder onto the man's face. The guard gasped in surprise at the sight of Nezumi before his eyes rolled backwards and he fell. Nezumi took out the knight's dagger and cut the horse loose. After that he led the horse a few feet away before hopping on. Sion had taught him how to ride a horse. It was a skill Nezumi had found ridiculous but now he understood the use of it. He hit the sides of the horse with his fee to make it move and started off down the path. He hoped the sleeping powder would keep everyone out long enough to get him a head start. He hoped he could out ride Sir William and his knights. He knew he had a long trip ahead of him, but he didn't care.

He was going to save Sion even if it cost him his life.


	16. Chapter 16

Nezumi woke with a start. He had been dozing on his horse again as he rode down the dark winding path. The dark-haired man frowned and clenched the reins. He had been dozing more recently. He knew he was beyond exhausted, but he had to stay awake. The adrenaline that allowed him to ride on for almost three days now was wearing thin. The dark-haired man was tired and anxious. He was on the third day, yet he had no idea how close he was to his goal. The lack of food wasn't helping. He managed to take some food when he stolen a new horse that morning. This current horse didn't like him very much and kept slowing down if Nezumi wasn't paying attention. This had caused him more anxiety and stress worrying if he wasn't going fast enough. In the distance Nezumi heard the should of a hunting horn. To his alarm it sounded closer than last time. It had taken two days for Sir William to catch up with him. Ever since that morning soon after he switched horses, he had started hearing sound of dogs barking and the hunting horn.

Another loud horn sounded followed by a loud howl from one of the hounds. In his sling Sion shivered and shrunk closer to Nezumi. He was afraid of the hunting dogs. Last time they were hunted, Nezumi had let Sion go in a desperate attempt to save him when he was captured. Sion had tried to run but was surrounded by the dogs. They bit and snarled at him until one of the guards pulled the helpless creature out of their reach. Nezumi had agreed to go back with them quietly as long as they allowed him to have Sion.

"It's ok." Nezumi muttered patting the trembling creature's head. The horse snorted with exhaustion and tried to wrench the reins out of Nezumi's hand. The dark-haired man grabbed them and pulled the horse back under his control. From behind him third horn sounded. Nezumi's heart started pounding. That one was too close. Sir Williams was probably only a couple minutes away.

"Damn it!" Nezumi glanced back over his shoulder. The knights were not visible yet through the trees. He knew however it was only a matter of time. The knights had better horses that were trained to ride at high speeds for multiple days. The one that Nezumi had was from a farm. It had good stamina but wasn't very fast.

Nezumi turned his attention back to the road ahead of him and kicked the sides of the horse trying to get it to move forwards. The horse snorted again but didn't change speeds. The dark-haired clenched his teeth as frustration threated to overwhelm him. He should have reached this place by now. Not only were the guards closing in, but he was running out of time. In the last town he past the town clock read 8:00. Nezumi knew it had been least three hours since then. It wouldn't matter if he could outrun Sir William or not. If he didn't find the Midnight Fairy Circle in time Sion was as good as doomed anyways. He was too exhausted to keep running if this failed.

A sudden clock chime made Nezumi's heart pound. He didn't realize he was anywhere near a town. If he had to guess, he would say that the town was a couple miles away, to the left of him. The forest carried sounds weirdly and things always sounded closer than they were. Even so that would explain why the knights were fast approaching. They must have stopped by the town to get more hunting dogs and horses. Nezumi swore to himself. Of course, they did. The knights had a fort in almost every town. It would be easy for them to restock.

In the distance the clock chimed again and Nezumi listened to it, counting each one. It was eleven thirty.

"Thirty minutes." Nezumi breathed panic rushing through his body. He wasn't going to make it. He had failed Sion. The pressure of the situation seemed to be closing in and Nezumi felt himself fall into despair. He had tried so hard to make things right. He had tried so hard, yet he kept failing. Why couldn't he just get Sion back? Why didn't he just make a chose instead of acting wish-washy in the first place?

Before his mind could chastises him any longer, he suddenly burst through the trees and found himself in a clearing. He slowed his horse into a gentle trot as a wave of relief hit him. He felt as if a weight had been slightly lifted off his shoulders. Nezumi found himself in a in a large green field of soft green grass that muffled the sound of his horse's hoofs. A gentle breeze blew by lifting up Nezumi's hair as his eyes traveled to the center of the clearing. There in the middle, was twelve jagged rocks that formed a circle. A few feet in front of the rocks the grass suddenly ended leaving only dirt. In the middle of the circle there was a small dark pound that reflexed the full moon perfectly. Each of the twelve stone had lines on it that looks like runes but could have easily been weather marks. The circle of gray rigid rocks loomed over them as Nezumi approached. He could see why people thought it was magical. There was something about the whole area that felt foreboding. When he had entered the clearing there was a sudden hush that filled him. The sound of night creatures were not present here. There wasn't any fireflies or bugs creeping through the grass nor birds in the nearby trees. It was as if everything was afraid of the circle.

Nezumi made his way towards it until he reached the area where the grass ended. There the horse stopped dead in his tracks and refused to get closer. Nezumi could feel it too. His animal instincts were tell him to back away. Nezumi took a deep breath and got off the horse. Fighting against his instincts he forced himself to take a step off the grass. As he did, he felt the weight in his pouch suddenly lighten. It took a second for Nezumi to realize that Sion had escaped. The dark-haired man spun around looking for him. A few feet away he saw the grass rustled as the small animal hopped away from the circle at top speed. Nezumi cursed quietly and gave chase. He had forgotten that Sion could also sense the foreboding feeling that the rocks gave off. As he chased the bunny to the forest, he saw something that made his heart stop. Sir William emerged into the clearing with his him men. Nezumi screeched to a halt and Sion tried to jump through their legs to escape. Sir William bent down and to scooped him up, but Sion skidded to a halt and darted back to Nezumi.

"Catch that rabbit!" Sir William hollered to his men. Nezumi charged forward and grabbed the struggling rabbit.

 _There was a strange buzzing sound. It ran through Nezumi like lightning and filled him with fear though he didn't know why._

The other knights thundered forward and Nezumi looped around to one side as he stuffed Sion back into his pouch. The knight closest to him started to turn to him. Nezumi kicked in the man's legs and the knight gave a grunt as he toppled over. The actor reached into his pouch and smack a small portion of sleeping powder into the fallen man's face. Then he turned to the other knights in the clearing.

 _The buzzing was getting louder. Now it wasn't much of a sound but the feeling of a buzzing sound. Even though Nezumi was concentrating on fighting his rat instincts were telling him that the buzzing was important. That part of him knew it was a way to save Sion though he didn't understand why or how yet._

Nezumi took out knight after knight. Every time one of the knights fell, two more would take their place. It was an endless battle. Nezumi bit and clawed his way through the men, fighting for his life. He was running low on sleeping powder and had to use less and less for each man.

 _It was a passageway. Nezumi suddenly understood that the buzzing sound was a passage made out of magic. It worked the same as a physical passage he would find in the castle. Now Nezumi knew why no human could get in the fairy circle. Humans couldn't feel the buzzing. Animals could but their instincts told them to stay away. Nezumi was a bit of both. He could feel the buzzing sensation but was also self-aware enough to fight against his instincts. He would find a way in._

Panting Nezumi slid around another knight, ducking a sword swing. The man swore and Nezumi jumped on his back and looped his legs around the man's chest. As the man struggle to break him free Nezumi smacked sleeping power on the man's face. The knight fell and Nezumi turned, ready to face another. To his surprise his found that it was only him and Sir William left.

 _As each second passed, the buzzing sound passageway got clearer and clearer. Nezumi knew that it would be fully opened by midnight._

Sir William stared at him with a deep loathing as he slowly pulled out his sword. Nezumi got into a fighting stance.

"I will make you regret all of this." the knight hissed his hand trembling with rage. "I will make you pay for what you did to our prince." Nezumi watched him wearily. Sir Williams was dangerous man. He was a good fighter and Nezumi knew it would be hard to defeat him. The actor put his hand into the bag of sleeping powder and found to his horror he only had about a handful left. If he messed this up, he would be out. The knight gave a roar and jumped forward swords unsheathed. Nezumi dove out the way a it came an inch from his head. The dark-haired man rolled away and sprang to his feet. Sir William charged again. Nezumi waited until he was within swinging rang and then jumped towards him. He was an inch from the knight's face as he brought up his hand full of sleeping powder. Just before he reached the knight, the man ducked and elbowed Nezumi in the chest. The dark-haired man clenched his hand around the powder as he fell back. He rolled over as a foot wacked him in the back. Nezumi scrambled to his feet and turned to face the knight again.

 _The doorway was almost open and Nezumi could hear the sound of music on the other end. It was beautiful yet haunting. It drew him near yet repulsed him. His human side wanted to go towards it but his animal side wanted to run. Sion trembled against his chest at the sound._

The battle raged on. Nezumi's exhaustion was taking its tole and he was taking more damage. If he didn't end this soon, he would lose. He was already limping from a blow to the leg and he had a large gash on his forearm. The knight raised his sword to strike again. Nezumi knew he couldn't dodge it. He thought desperately of a way to distract the knight.

"Wait, what are you doing here?!" Nezumi yelled staring over the knight's shoulder. It was a weak attempt at a distraction. He hoped his acting was good enough to convince the knight that someone was there. To his delight Sir William paused confused and spun around to see who Nezumi was talking to. This was the opening the actor needed. Nezumi sprang forward as Sir William realized his mistake and smack his hand over the knight's mouth. The older man's eyes widened with shock and the powder took effect. Nezumi caught his breath as the older man keeled over. Once he could breathe normally Nezumi straightened up. He was lucky, he knew that. Sir William wasn't easy to fool but this place, even to humans felt hunting. Between the knight's own superstitions and Nezumi's acting he was able to win. Even so he hoped never to have to fight the man again. It was way to energy consuming.

Nezumi turned back to the Midnight Fairy Circle and approached it.

 _The magic buzzing turned into a stream and Nezumi saw cracks_

As he got closer Sion started to fidget. Nezumi paused. There was no way to get Sion in without him trying to escape unless…

"Sorry about this." Nezumi muttered as he stuck his hand in the sleeping powder bag. There wasn't any left but a little dusting on the bottom of the bag. It was enough though. Sion was so tinny and the last thing he needed was to put the bunny in an eternal sleep. All Nezumi wanted was a way to get Sion through the passage without the bunny freaking out.

Nezumi put his hand inside the sling. Sion sniffed the finger that had the sleeping powder on it. The bunny gave a chattering protest and pulled his head away. He pawed his nose and sneezed twice. He shook his head then lay pressed his body against Nezumi's chest. A few seconds later Nezumi heard him snore. The actor peered into the sling. It wasn't a very deep sleep; Sion would probably be up in ten minutes or so.

In the distance the town bell starting tolling twelve.

 _The stream opened up and flowed wildly into the middle of the circle. Nezumi reached out with his being and dove in as he took a step a physical step inside the circle. He was drowning. He was flying. He wasn't anything. He was everything. Every fiber of his being was screaming at him to run._

 _._

.

The world dissolved. The night gave way to day light. The sound of the tolling bell disappeared leaving only the sound of birds happily chirping. The clearing was replace by a field of flowers, each of them a different vibrant color. They swayed in the soft in the warm breeze. In the distance Nezumi could see a floating castle. Its walls shimmered in the bright sunlight making it look like it was made out of light itself. Nezumi's senses were on overload. He numbly turned back around to see if the Midnight Fairy Circle was still there. It was stood behind him as tall and haunting as before. In the middle of the circle, the small pond still reflected the full moon that in the sky.

"What are you doing here?" A voice asked. Nezumi spun around to see a young-looking woman standing a few feet away. He knew he should have sensed her, but the magic of this place was overwhelming him. As he looked blankly at her it took a few seconds for him to register the wings on her back.

"You're a fairy?

"I am." She eyed his suspiciously. "Who are you?" Nezumi ignored the question and held out Sion.

"I need you to turn him back."

"We don't remove cures. We're fairy godmothers. We grand one wishes for good people we're assigned to. We can't do anything about this curse." She squinted at him. "You're also cursed as well? Aren't you supposed to be a rat?"

"I was until Cinderella's fairy godmother turned me into a human."

"Cinderella?" she frowned. "I've heard of her. Didn't she get her wish granted a while ago?" She bit her lip. "Alright hold on. I'll go find the Head Fairy Godmother. She should sort this out." The fairy turned to leave. "stay here!" she called over her shoulder. Nezumi watched the fairy rush off. Once she was out of sight Nezumi sunk to the ground, his energy gone. Now that the danger was over, his adrenaline rush was eb away. He closed his eyes trying to get his bearing.

"And he claims that the rabbit was cursed by Rosemary."

"That's impossible she helped Cinderella over a year ago. Why would she go back?"

"Also, wouldn't that mean Rosemary learned a way to curse people into animals?"

"I think he's lying!"

"How did he get through anyways?

"He's a rat, those are always troublesome creatures. They're as bad cats."

"Alright girls that enough. Let's wait until he wakes."

Nezumi groggily opened his eyes and sat up. He blinked up at the circle of women who were standing around him. These too were fairies, each with a different colored wing and silver gowns. As he surveyed them, he noticed one fairy was dressed fancier then the rest. She wore a gown of gold that matched the color of her wings. Nezumi guessed that she was the head fairy.

As Nezumi blinked off the last bit of sleep his senses returned and he realized Sion was nowhere in sight.

"So, you're awake rat." The head fairy said. Nezumi ignored her and continued to look around for the prince. It was unlikely that Sion just left. If he refused to leave when they were in prison, then he wasn't going to leave now. That left only one option, someone must have taken him.

"Can you understand me?" the fairy asked. Nezumi turned his attention back to her, his anger rising. The only people here were the fairies. That means they were probably responsible for Sion's disappearance. He got to his feet and got into a fighting position.

"Where's Sion." He demanded venom dripping from his voice. "What did you do to him!" The group of fairies backed away fearfully. A few of them got out their wands. The head fairy however didn't even bat an eye.

"We didn't do anything to him. He's over there with the younglings." The head fairy indicated to the left of them. Nezumi suspiciously looked over to where she was pointing. There was a group of fairy children fairies sitting in a circle with Sion. One had him on her lap. Another one was feeding him some cucumber. A third one was putting a flower crown on his head. A fourth was brushing his fur. Sion himself seemed perfectly content. Nezumi relaxed and turned back to the fairies.

"I need your help." He said.

"That's a way to ask for help!" one fairy said annoyance in her voice. "You threaten us then ask for our help?!" The other fairies grumbled in agreeance. The head fairy put out an arm to silence them.

"Enough." She said, "He's been through a lot. Let me deal with him." She turned back to Nezumi. "Before I help you, I first need to know what happened."

"What do you want to know?" Nezumi asked suspiciously. He still didn't like giving information about himself and the last time he did it was a waste of time.

"You don't need to worry rat. I only need to know what happened between you and Rosemary. " At her words the dark-haired bristled.

"Nezumi."

"Sorry?"

"My name is Nezumi." For some reason he didn't want to be called just rat. Although Nezumi meant rat it had become his name. He was a human named Nezumi not just a nezumi. The fairy frowned at him. Behind her the other fairies started grumbling again and shooting him dirty looks. The head fairy shushed them.

"You shouldn't get attached to names. Rats are nameless creatures."

"I'm not a rat anymore."

"How long have you been human?" the fairy asked.

"For over a year." Nezumi was surprised that it had been that long. Around him the fairies gasped. The head fairy surveyed him.

"Since you've been a human for a while, I'll do you the courtesy and ask permission to search your memories. I will cast a spell to see what happened between you and Rosemary. I will only see memories that involve her. This way I can confirm what happened without a shadow of a doubt. Will that be alright?"

"Is Rosemary Cinderella's fairy godmother?"

"That's correct."

"Fine" Nezumi wasn't happy about anyone invading his mind but he didn't have a choice. If showing his memories could save Sion he would do so. The head fairy waved her wand and Nezumi felt a chill run down his spine. She closed her eyes and muttered something under her breath. A sharp pain pricked at Nezumi's forehead and he fought the urge to rub the spot. Finally after a few seconds the sensation disappeared and the fairy opened her eyes again.

"I see." She looked him over, an expression of pity on her face. "He's not lying. The poor creature's life has been messed extremely messed up." She said turning to the others. "Go find Rosemary and tell her to meet me in my office." Some of the fairies flew off towards the floating castle. "The rest of you go back to the castle. I can handling the rest." The other fairies hesitated before reluctantly dispersing.

"Now." The head fairy turned back to Nezumi. "You will need to be turned back into a rat." Nezumi's heart sank. He was had though it might come to this, though a part of him had hoped that she was would be more reasonable then "Rosemary.

"And what if I refuse?" He asked getting into a crouch. The actor knew he had a less chance of winning against her then he had against "Rosemary", but he would still try. To his surprise the head fairy didn't seem at all concerned.

"Nezumi, if you don't allow me to turn you back then he has to stay as a rabbit." She pointing to Sion. "As a fairy godmother we need to keep the natural order. Since you're a human now and you've been a human for over a year, I cannot turn you back without your consent. It was wrong of Rosemary to attempt that." She nodded towards him. "For that I will apologize. However, before she casted her spell there was one less human and one more animal. We need to return to that. Either you stay human and he stays a bunny, or you turn into a rat and he returns to being human."

"Does it have to be that way?"

"For us it does." The fairy said softly. "Other magical creatures run by different rules, but these are ours." Nezumi looked back over at Sion. He wanted to stay a human, but he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he left Sion as a dumb animal. Sion deserved to be human. Sion deserved so much more out of life. He was a good person, an amazing one at that. He was going to be a great king some day and a great husband to some lucky soul. Nezumi's heart clenched. The lucky soul who would get to be at his side would not be him. He hoped it would at least be Cinderella. Nezumi closed his eyes. As much as he wanted to be human it felt unfair that a cold sarcastic creature like him, who lived off of lies and secrets should stay human if it meant sacrificing Sion. Nezumi let a slow breath out steeling his nerves. It didn't matter what he wanted anymore. He had to do it.

"I'll turn back so please save Sion."

"Very well." The fairy pulled out her wand. Nezumi braced himself. The head fairy raised it over her head then paused. She shot a thoughtful look over at the prince before lowering her arm. "Midnight is not over yet …" she trailed off still looking thoughtful. Nezumi was lost. He didn't know what midnight had to do with him being turned back into a rat. It was midnight when he had crossed over, but it couldn't still be midnight. He had been asleep long enough for that fairy to go get the head fairy. That had to be a few minutes at least. When it looked like the fairy wasn't going to continued Nezumi spoke,

"I don't understand what that has to do with anything. It was midnight when I crossed through so it can't still be midnight."

"Time works differently here than in the human realm." The fairy said smiling. "The clock has yet to stop striking midnight. Once it finishes the doorway closes and I will have to send you back as a rat. Before then however I could give you a couple of minutes to say goodbye."

"I see" Nezumi said gulping down his rising emotions. "I would like that." He paused for a moment. "Thank you." She nodded.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this." She looked at him gently. "You make such a good human."

"Not as good as Sion." Nezumi muttered. He turned walked over to where Sion and the younglings were playing. When the children saw him, they scampered away. Nezumi ignored them and bent down to pick up the prince. Sion sniffed his arm. The actor hugged him close.

"Goodbye Sion." The dark-haired man said. "Thank you for everything. You have no idea how you changed my world, how you changed me." He hugged him tightly. Sion wriggled a little in discomfort. Nezumi gave a little laugh and released him on the ground. Sion pressed himself against Nezumi's foot.

"You have no idea how much I'm going to miss you." The dark-haired man said as a lump grew in his throat. He felt the urge to cry; to hug Sion and let his emotions out. He fought the feelings. He was not going to cry in front of a fairy. He would never let them know how much this hurt. He scooted Sion away and purposely turned back to the fairy.

"Alright I'm ready." He said in an emotionless voice. He wasn't ready but it was now or never. To his surprised he found the fairy was watching him with an amused smile on her face.

"Nezumi." The fairy said, laugher laced in her voice. "When I said you could say your goodbyes, I meant I was going to turn him into a human again."

"I thought you couldn't do that because of natural order or something stupid like that?"

"Things must return to their natural order by midnight. The clock had yet to stop chiming." Nezumi's heart started pounding.

"Then turn him back." Nezumi knew he sounded desperate, but he didn't care. At that moment he was so close to seeing Sion again it hurt. The fairy nodded and waved her wand. Nezumi turned around. There sitting in the field of flowers were the bunny stood was the prince. At first Sion had a blank look in his eyes, then light returned.

"You have ten minutes." The fairy said. "I'll leave you alone." She turned and flew away. Nezumi barely acknowledge her. He was too busy looking at Sion. Sion was human again. . Everything was there. Every bit of Sion was back to normal. He never knew how wonderful it was to look at him. If this moment went on for eternity, then Nezumi would be happy.

Sion looked down at his arms confused. Then looked around at the field. Finally turned to look at Nezumi.

"Did I get turned into a rabbit?"


	17. Chapter 17

_"You have ten minutes."_

Sion found himself in a beautiful field of flowers. They blew gently in the wind, each a different vibrant color and smell. These flowers couldn't exist in the real world. Sion guessed he was in the magical realm. If this was a regular day Sion would be eager to go exploring. He would study each flower and see if they had different properties then the ones from the human world. He would bring a bunch back and try to grow them in his garden. Maybe if he was lucky a wandering alchemist might pass by and help Sion make the flowers into potions or antidotes. Of course, this wasn't a regular day and the flowers were not Sion's top priority. Right now, Sion needed to figure out what happened since that night in the natural garden. It wasn't normal to find one's self in the middle of the magic realm with no recollection on how they got there.

Sion blinked in the sunlight. He felt disoriented. Had he always been this tall? For some reason his mind thought he should be smaller. The prince looked down at his hands confused. He knew he didn't have hands for a while but then what did he have? The white-haired man tried to think back on what happened between the night in the garden and now. He knew time passed since that night, but he didn't know how much. What did he do yesterday or the day before? As he strained his mind, vague blurry memories started to appear.

He remembered being small and helpless. He remembered fearing the big scary humans who spoke in loud voices. He remembered their rough hands grabbing and hurting him. He remembered the smell and sound of the terrifying dogs that that came after him. He remembered being hungry and cold. He remembered living in a dark stone structure. He remembered cold water filling his lungs and the feeling of drowning. He remembered pain and fear.

Sion shivered at these memories. They were unpleasant and unhelpful. He couldn't think of the contexts behind them, just the emotions and feelings. It was a world without thought. Sion tried again to see what else he remembered. As he did some pleasant memories began emerging.

Sion could remember the nice smelling human who was with him. That human provided food. That human provided warmth. That human provided shelter. That human provided safety. That human had a nice smelled and a gentle voice. That human had gentle hands and a nice heartbeat. That human always was there when there was danger. A part of Sion's mind recognized the human, though he couldn't think of who it was. All he knew was that staying with that human meant safety and security.

The prince sighed in frustration. Once again, his memories gave him no context to work with. He had no idea what happened to that human who stayed with him. He didn't even know who that human was. If Sion wanted answers, he would have to find it somewhere other than his memory. The prince turned his head hoping to see the person who spoke earlier. The first thing he remembered after finding himself in the magic realm was a woman's voice saying something about having ten minutes. Sion had no idea what that mean but if she could give more information it would be very helpful to him. As Sion searched, he located the woman. She was heading towards a floating castle. On closer inspection the white-haired man realized she was a fairy like the one in the natural garden. Unlike Cinderella's fairy however this one was older and more magnificent. Sion recognized the patterns on her wings as a patter he found in a book about different types of fairies. This fairy was one of the head fairies of a fairy community. Judging by how her wings were similar to Cinderella's fairy godmother Sion guessed she was the head fairy godmother.

As Sion watched her go, he realized his had miss his chance to call out to her. The fairy was too far away to hear him if he called, and Sion doubted that he could get up. Right now he was a little woozy just sitting there. The prince sighed and continued to look around hoping someone else was nearby. To his surprise there was someone else in the field of flower. A few feet away staring at him was Nezumi.

The initial shock of seeing his boyfriend in the magic realm was quickly replaced by concern. The dark-haired man looked awful. His usual kept hair was disheveled and messy. His clothes were worn and tore. He was thin and had a starved look to him. Sion noticed that the dark-haired man had bandages on his arms and legs. The parts of him that weren't bandaged were scraped and bruised. He was pale and had huge circles under his eyes. The actor looked absolutely exhausted. Sion wondered what happened. How did Nezumi get this beaten? Nezumi wasn't someone who couldn't handle himself. Something really bad must have happened between that night and now. Sion wanted to ask what happened but as he took in Nezumi's appearance something else flashed in his mind.

 _I was turned into an animal._

This distracted him. Was he really turned into a rat? Sion frowned to himself. No that wasn't right. He was most definitely not a rat. He knew he had a tail, but it was small and fluffy. He also had ears, but they were long and floppy. Fluffy tails and floppy ears were not found on rats. There were found on other animals like bunnies. Sion frowned at that thought.

"Did I get turned into a rabbit?" The voice coming from his throat startled him. Was he always that loud? Nezumi started at him for another couple of seconds before laughing hysterical. He laughed and laughed, falling back.

"Nezumi?" Sion watched him worriedly. Nezumi had always been in control of his emotions. He must have been tired to act this way.

"Of all the things you ask that's the first one that came to your head? How do you not know you were a bunny?" He sat up and smirked at Sion. "I knew that I was a rat when I was turned into a human."

"Give me a break." Sion pouted. "I guessed I was a rabbit, but I wanted to make sure. I've never been an animal before."

"Alright then, yes you were a bunny." Nezumi smirk grew. "A small helpless dumb bunny with no survival instincts." He snorted. "You have no idea how many times I tried to set you free in order to save you. You just kept coming back to me." Sion stared at Nezumi as he mulled over his words.

"It was you. You were the nice smelling human!" Sion's eyes glistened. Then another thought hit him, and he frowned. "Nezumi are you this beaten up because you were protecting me?" The dark-haired man's expression softened.

"You could say that."

"What happened between then and now."

"That's a long story." Nezumi sighed. "Too long for the amount of time we have." He glanced over at Sion. "I'm just relieved you're back."

Sion looked over Nezumi again. Although he still didn't know what happened, knowing that Nezumi was the nice smelling human put things into context. From his memories Sion concluded that the actor must have been through hell protecting him It made him feel guilty to see Nezumi hurt because of him. Sion knew Nezumi could take care of himself perfectly fine. The only reason for Nezumi to look like this was because Sion was helpless. If he was taking care of bunny Sion, he wouldn't be able to easily protect himself. There was no way that Nezumi would let Sion feel fear, cold, pain, and hunger unless he had no choice in the matter. In that case there was a good chance that Nezumi had been suffering in the same way. Sion wanted to apologize but thought Nezumi would take offense at that. His boyfriend always complained that the prince apologized to much. Instead he said,

"Thank you."

Nezumi stared at him in confusion.

"That was unexpected. What's with your sudden gratitude?

"Back when I was a rabbit, you didn't abandon me."

"Why would I abandoned you?" Now Nezumi looked insulted. He crossed his arms and stared indignantly at Sion. This made the white-haired man laugh lightly.

"Don't give me that look. I'm just saying you must have been through a lot to save me. I mean of all animals I could have been I was a rabbit! I must have been extremely helpless. Besides magic doesn't happen a lot in my kingdom. What was the chances of me turning back?"

"Next to none." Nezumi said uncrossing his arms. "That being said, if you had stayed a rabbit, I would have made sure you lived a nice peaceful life until you died. I would never willingly abandoned you." Sion's eyes filled with tears. How did he get so lucky to meet someone like Nezumi?

"Thank you." Sion sniffed. Nezumi rolled his eyes.

"Stop being so dramatic." Nezumi poked Sion on the nose. The prince puffed his cheeks out in a pout.

"I'm not being dramatic! Just because you're kind doesn't mean everyone is! Not everyone would stay with someone after they turned into a bunny!" Now it was Sion's turn to cross his arms.

"They would if it was their boyfriend."

"Even so, if there was next to no chance of getting them back..."

"Then he would take care of his bunny boyfriend."

"That seems like a lot of work" Sion eyed Nezumi's clothes. "Especially since you seemed to have suffered because of it."

"I would still take of you." Nezumi said.

"Yeah, because you're kind."

"Sion I'm worst then most humans."

"But most humans probably wouldn't do what you did."

"Fine it helped that you were a cute fluffy ball, happy? Your fur was ridiculously soft, and I enjoyed it when you curled up next to me." Sion's pout lessened. Nezumi surveyed Sion for a moment. Of course," Nezumi leaned in closer, "Your hair is softer than your fur. I much prefer running my hands through it." Sion felt his face heating up.

"Nezumi that's not fair! I just got turn back into a human. You can't flirt with me like that. I can't take it."

"Oh?" Nezumi purred leaning close. He gently put his hand on Sino's head and ran it through is hair. "But I'm only speaking the truth. You have hair like silk." Sion's mind went blank. It felt so good. He missed Nezumi's touch. The prince closed his eyes and leaned into his hand. A few seconds later Nezumi pulled something off the white-haired prince's head. Sion looked down to see a crown of flowers.

"How did that get there?!"

"The fairy children were making it for you."

"They were fairy children?" Now Sion had even more questions. "Nezumi how did we get here, and where is here exactly?

"I don't know fairy land?" Nezumi sighed and leaned back. "I traveled through a magic passageway." He smirked at Sion. "It seemed your Midnight Fairy Circle was a doorway to a magical world." Sion's eyes widened and his heart started pound with excitement.

"I was right!" No one believed Sion when he claimed that the circle of rocks could have magic properties. Sir Williams even band him from going, saying it was a waste of time. Now it seemed like he was right. If Nezumi had passed through the circle that would mean that there would be a Midnight Fairy Circle on this side. Sion turned his head and saw, to his delight, that there was a circle of rocks behind them. Wonder filled him as he noticed the pond in the middle.

"Nezumi look! The moon is shining even though it's day here. It must be still midnight in the human world! Do you know what this means? It means that time works differently between our two worlds. I always thought it did, but I couldn't test it to make sure." He turned back to Nezumi "I wonder if…" He trailed off as he noticed that Nezumi was staring at him with a soft expression. The white-haired man fidgeted under his gaze.

"What do I still have bunny ears or something?" He put hand on his head but only felt hair.

"No." Nezumi whispered. "I forgot how excited you could get…I forgot so much about you, even though it was only a little over a week." His eyes were oddly misty. "Damn it!" he turned away. Sion stared at him in confusion. He had no idea what was going on. As he watched he noticed that Nezumi was trembling slightly. Sion wondered if the actor's usual wall that he hid his emotions behind was crumbling

"Nezumi…are you crying?"

"No." Nezumi glared over his shoulder. "I'm not crying, I just feel…damn it. I don't know how to explain. Happy? Angry? Relieved? You have no idea how much I missed you when you were a rabbit." Nezumi turned away again. Sion watched him speechless. He always loved Nezumi more than anyone else but at that moment he realized Nezumi loved him the same amount. It was both heart warming and heart wrenching. It was nice to know his feelings were reciprocated but he never wanted to see Nezumi this broken.

"Hey, you don't need to be tough in front of me." Sion said gently reaching for him and pulling him into a hug.

"Shut up." Nezumi muttered before relaxing and returning the gesture. "I told you I'm not crying." Sion hummed in acknowledgment. After a few seconds Nezumi sighed and started talking.

"Although it was only a short amount of time it felt like forever. I thought we weren't going to make it. I thought I had failed you. It was all my fault. I shouldn't have been so indecisive. You were just so helpless…" Sion listened to Nezumi open up. It must have been so hard for the actor to have to take care of Sion and find the doorway to the fairy realm. Sion reached up and slowly ran a hand through his hair. After a minute or so Nezumi pulled back and Sion saw he was back to his normal self.

"You know it's unfair for you to be this cute right after you turned back into a human." Nezumi scolded at Sion. "It overwhelms me."

"Sorry?" Sion said uncertainly. "But you have to try to be less flirty."

"I'm not being flirty." Nezumi muttered.

"And I'm not being cute!" Sion huffed. Nezumi groaned.

"See just now. Don't do that."

"I'm not doing anything." Sion protested. Nezumi sighed and put his face in his hands.

"You're too much. What am I supposed to do with you?" He dropped his hands and looked over at Sion. "You're hopeless." Sion opened his mouth to retort but before he got any words out Nezumi glanced over Sion's shoulder and stiffened. His expression darkened as his eyes filled with a resigned tiredness. The dark-haired man turned back to Sion; all playfulness gone from his face.

"Sion, I need to tell you something before it's too late."

"To late?" Sion asked concerned turning to see what Nezumi had been looking at. It was that head fairy. She was approaching reluctantly with a solemn expression. Sion felt a chill go down his spine. Something was wrong and he didn't like it. "Nezumi what's going on?"

"Look at me." Nezumi said gently turning Sion's face towards him. "Just listen for a moment." His boyfriend took a steadying deep breath. "When I first met you, I had no idea how much you would change my world. You made me see the joys of being a human. You taught me so much. It wasn't until you were gone that I realized how much you did for me. You did everything from protect me for the nobles to teaching me how to take care of myself when I'm injured. You're my world Sion. I love you."

"Nezumi?" Sion said confused. "I don't understand where this is coming from. I mean I love you to but why does this sound like you're saying goodbye?"

"Because." Nezumi let his hands fall to his side. "It is. I had to make a deal with the fairies, and that deal included me turning back into a rat.." Sion stared at Nezumi as he struggled to understand what his boyfriend was saying. Nezumi had made a deal with the fairies? Nezumi was going to be turned into a rat again? That didn't make sense. They already fought off Cinderella's fairy godmother. There shouldn't be any reason that Nezumi had to be turned back unless Nezumi wanted to be a rat again.

"I thought you wanted to stay human."

"I do." Nezumi nodded. Sion started at him for a few seconds longer.

"Then why are you making this deal?"

"So, they would turn you back into a human."

Sion felt fear creep into his stomach. That was why he was allow to become human again, because Nezumi had to give up his humanity? The prince didn't want to believe that it was true. He didn't take the spell for his boyfriend and get turn into a rabbit so Nezumi could leave him. This couldn't be happening.

"Then take back the deal." Sion's voice was deadly calm. Nezumi frowned.

"That would mean you would have to be turn back into a rabbit. That can't happen. I won't let that happen."

Sion looked into the face of his boyfriend. He looked for any sign that he was lying. The prince felt a sense of Deja vu. He had done the exact same thing when Nezumi had broken up with them. The disconnect between himself and the world was forming again as his heartbeat became too loud. He hoped this time was different. He hoped that Nezumi was lying. As he searched the actor's face he found, like last time, no traces of falsehood. Panic weld up inside of him.

"That's unfair." Sion couldn't lose Nezumi just when they were united. "They can't just turn you back into a rat. Why can't we both be humans?"

"Natural order or some other bs."

"That's unfair. They shouldn't get to decide that." Sion knew he sounded winey, but he didn't care. He wouldn't let Nezumi go again. This couldn't let this happen.

"Sion, how many times do I have to tell you that life isn't fair." Nezumi softly ran his hand through Sion's hair. The prince looked into Nezumi's eyes and found that his boyfriend had accepted his fate. Nezumi was willing to throw it all away for him. Nezumi was willing to let go. The world crashed around Sion and he threw himself into Nezumi's arms weeping openly. The whole situation was extremely unjust. He had protected Nezumi back then even if it meant being turned into an animal. He couldn't have Nezumi give everything up. He knew he had a responsibility to his kingdom but there were other nobles where were more fit to rule then him.

"It's time." The head fairy said.

"I see." Nezumi muttered.

"No." Sion said fiercely, struggling to get in front of Nezumi. "Don't do this! He wants to be human! Why do you guys want to take that away from him?"

"Prince Sion please."

"No!"

"We must preserve the natural order. We can't have an extra human running around." The head fairy looked imploring. "You must understand you were never meant to meet him. You were supposed to meet and fall in love with Cinderella."

"Again, with that!" Sion exclaimed. "Who said I would have dated her if Nezumi wasn't in the picture?" He was so tired of Cinderella being dragged into his love life. Yes, he did like her. She was his closest friend, and someone he enjoyed spending time with, but he felt no romantic feelings for her. Why couldn't people understand that.

"If Nezumi wasn't in the picture you would have dated Cinderella" The fairy's mater of fact voice made Sion's blood boil. He opened his mouth to deny but then closed it. Truth be told if the mysterious dark-haired man hadn't shown up, he probably would have started dating Cinderella. It wouldn't be because of any romantic feelings but instead because it was better to date a friend then a random noble.

"See what I mean?"

"That doesn't count. I wouldn't have fallen for her. I would have been content but not happy. It would be unfair to both of us. I could never give her the love she deserved, and she could never make me happy. Meeting Nezumi was one of the best things to happen in my life."

"Meeting Nezumi was a mistake. If he had just stayed by the coach, he would have been turn back into a rat. If Rosemary had handled it better and brought him back here with her, we would be able to turn him into a rat."

"So, you're saying Nezumi was turned into a human against his will to play a servant for Cinderella?" Sion asked angrily. "That's unfair to him! "

"Animals don't care as long as they can be turned back into humans."

"Nezumi is different!" Sion shouted. He hated this. How could someone compare anybody or any animal to Nezumi. He was his own special person. There was no one like him in the world.

"Sion" Nezumi said gently putting his hand on the white-haired man's shoulder.

"No!" Sion yelled shaking it off. "If that's the case then I might has well have stayed a rabbit! That way you could have had a chance at doing what you wanted, instead of what these fairies decided for you!"

"Sion." Nezumi's voice was stern. He turned the he prince around and looked him in the eyes. "You have a kingdom and a family to return to. Everyone misses you. Sir William, Cinderella, your mother, they all want you. You have people who depend on you. You can't afford to do this."

"But…"

"Sion its time to let me go."

"That's unfair. Don't I get a say in this."

"Nope." A weak smirk crossed Nezumi's face. "For once in my life the fairies gave me a choice and I choose to save you." Sion stared at Nezumi. He hated not getting a say in this. Even so he could see that Nezumi wasn't going to let him become a rabbit again. The prince's shoulders slumped as he leaned into Nezumi's arms.

"What am I going to do without you?" Sion sobbed.

"No need to be dramatic. Things will get better over time and eventually," the dark-haired man swallowed hard. "you'll find someone new." Nezumi's voice sounded painfully sad. "I bet he'll be better than me anyways."

Sion sobbed harder and tightened his grip. He highly doubted that he would be able to fall in love again. In his world love did not come easily. People were always trying to manipulate him in order to get his kingdom. Until he had met Nezumi, he had closed off his heart to loving new people romantically. Nezumi was the one exception. Since their first meeting he had treated Sion completely normal.

"I doubt it." Sion muttered. "I doubt I will be allowed to find someone I like who has no alternate motives." He sniffed and peered over at Nezumi. "Do you think you'll be able to get over me in time?"

"I…" Nezumi sighed. "I'll be a rat again. I won't be able to regret anything or remember anything."

"I remembered you." Sion whispered softy. "When I was a rabbit, I remembered you enough to stay with you."

"Only because you were a human first." Nezumi pressed his forehead to Sion's "You still had lingering human instincts and connections. I have lingering rat instincts as a human. Now that you're back to your original form however do you have anything animal instincts remaining?" Sion thought it over. Although he had faint memories, he didn't have any of his animalistic nature left. He shook his head.

"See, when I turn back, I might have a few lingering ideas but those will not include human instincts." He pulled away to look Sion in the eyes. "Rat don't love like humans."

"I'll find a way to save you. Like you did for me. I won't let it end this way." To Sion's surprise Nezumi's face darkened.

"Please don't" he begged. "It will only ruin you. You're aware that other than the Midnight Fairy Circle there isn't another well known portal. You would have to travel far to find a way to turn me back."

"But you would have done it for me!" Sion protested.

"I don't have a kingdom to run." Nezumi pointed out. The white-haired man opened his mouth to protested but Nezumi cut him off. "Also think about this, a rat's lives is shorter than humans. When I'm a rat again I'll only have a couple of years left to live. It would be bad end back for both of us. I don't want to spend the rest of my life in a cage. You would have to find a way to run your kingdom and find a sorcerer. Eventually you would end up running out of time and then blame yourself for my death. Just let me go. Return to your kingdom and do all the things you want to do." Nezumi kissed Sion's hand. "I know you'll be an amazing king."

"This is unfair…" Sion hated how he was just repeating those words over and over, but he didn't know what else to say. A part of him wondered why he even met Nezumi in the first place if fate was only going to pull them apart again. It hurt so much. Sion didn't know he could feel this much pain. This was the second time he felt his heart being pulled apart. Not that Sion regretted meeting Nezumi, but it felt unjust.

"Goodbye Sion." Nezumi said.

Sion cried harder into Nezumi's arms. He felt his boyfriend's grip tighten. The prince started begging anyone to save him. At that moment he would give anything for Nezumi to remain human,

"No, no please Nezumi no." he cried, repeating those words over and over again as if it could save them. As he sat there crying, he felt a weird sensation cover his body. The world around his swelled and collapsed. Suddenly he wasn't in the field anymore. Instead he was in a grass clearing. The full moon shone above, and his men were lying sleeping around them.

Sion looked up dully and stared into the darkness. If he cared, he would wonder why his men were sprawled around the clearing. As it was, he didn't care about anything. Before Sion's senses had time to adjust, a sharp pain shot through his hand. He yelped and pulled it back, looking down to see what bit him. Sitting in his lap was a large black rat. It pulled back it's lips and hissed at him. If Sion didn't know who it was, he would have been afraid. This rat was everything he hated about the rodent. It was big, mean, aggressive with sharp teeth and an ugly long tail. Its's black eyes glistened with untamed wildness as it stared angrily up at the white-haired man. Sion however knew that it was Nezumi. Instead of fear, grief filled him, and he hugged the creature tightly to his chest. He could feel Nezumi scratching his arm, trying to get out. If he wasn't so numb it would probably hurt.

"Why…why does it have to be like this?" Sion sobbed into the struggling animal. He cried out loudly into the night, his wails mingling with the twelve long tolling's of the midnight bells.


	18. Chapter 18

Sion knew it was over.

He would never be able to go on a date with Nezumi again. He would never get to see his boyfriend preform again. He would never be able to have long conversations or try new things with him. He would never be able to go on rain walks or hold hands with the dark man again. He would never be able to see Nezumi smile or laugh or hear his sarcastic comment. He would never get to hear his voice again. Nezumi was gone. All of the joys that he brought were done. Over time Nezumi would become just another memory that would fade.

Sion didn't want to let go but he knew he had too. His boyfriend was a rat now. He no longer could recognize the prince as someone he loved. All Nezumi knew was that he was being held against his will by some human. He had to release rat Nezumi into the wild to live the rest of his short life. Nezumi needed to be free and live life without joys, sorrows and without the prince. Sion knew this. Sion knew what he needed to do….

But he couldn't. Instead he clung to the wriggling animal. It was too hard. He couldn't just open his arms and release Nezumi. Once Nezumi left he would never return. It hurt too much to think about it. If the prince let, go his world would crumble and fall. In his arms he held the last bit of his happiness with Nezumi. Sion looked down at the rat who hissed angrily and tried to bite him again. Nezumi was a ball of rage and fury. His dark fur was standing on edge and his black eyes held nothing but contempt for his captor. Sion looked into those vacant eyes. It hurt so much to know that the rat had no recollection of him. A part of him wanted to believe that Nezumi was still Nezumi, that he was just acting this way for some reason and would return to him. The sensible part of him however knew better.

"I'm sorry." Sion sobbed through his tears. "I'm so sorry Nezumi." How could he ever think rats were horrible, terrifying creatures? At that moment he would gladly let every rodent into his castle if it meant Nezumi could stay with him. He would have let them steal food from his kitchen and bite at him a hundred times over if it meant that he could hear Nezumi's voice just one more time.

In the distance the clock chimed two pulling Sion back to reality. He had been sitting there crying for two hours. Even so, it felt like no time had passed since midnight. The moon was still high in the sky shining down its cold light. Sion looked up at it. Nezumi had been interest in the moon. He said he had never really thought about it before he came here. On their first date he had actually asked the prince if the moon was part of a constellation. With a painful jolt, an image of Nezumi lying under the stars flashed in his mind and a new wave of grief hit him. During their first date it felt like they had forever. It was just the two of them, lying under the endless sky, looking at the different constellations. Who knew that the sky that once represented the first of many dates would now hang above him as a mockery to his ruined romance? Back then he had so many things he wanted to show Nezumi. Even now there was so many things left undid and unsaid.

And now it was over.

It had not been enough. Sion had not been able to accomplish all he wanted to do with Nezumi. Infinity wouldn't be enough time to do all the things he wanted to do with the dark-haired man. Sion gave an anguished wail and curled in tighter. How could it end like this? This was worst then reading one of Nezumi's tragedies where he was left feeling empty and frustrated. This wasn't some ignorant king or teenagers from different families, this was him and Nezumi. It was their lives that the fairies messed up. He should have done everything differently. He should have realized that Nezumi was a rat sooner. Maybe he should have fought harder against Cinderella's fairy godmother. Maybe he should have tried pushed Nezumi out of the way instead of taking the hit for him. Sion knew he was being unfair to himself, but he couldn't help regretting his own weaknesses.

Sion lifted his head wearily. He was tired of crying. He was tired of the world treating him and Nezumi cruelty. He was exhausted. He wishes he could just go home and sleep. Maybe then this would turn out to be a bad dream. In his lap Nezumi gave a loud squeak and bit down hard on his hand. Even through his numbness Sion felt it. He lifted up the hand and watched the blood drip down.

 _"Mouths are for eating or biting. I never head of kissing until I was here. I really don't understand it. Why would you trust someone to put their mouth so close to you? What if they bite you?"_

Nezumi had said that during their first date. As Sion turned it attention back to the rat, who was currently trying to bite his hand off, he understands what the dark-haired man meant. Nezumi's teeth were sharp and dangerous. If he kept biting the prince, he could leave some scares or even tear his hand apart. Sion could see why Nezumi didn't want Sion's mouth anywhere near his. Actually, if he thought about it, the white-haired man found it amazing that Nezumi let him kiss any other part of his body. The actor must have really loved him to allow Sion to kiss him. In his mind he was putting himself at risk of being torn apart. Sion's heart began to ache. Why did he ever believe that Nezumi never had feelings for him?

"If only you told me that you were a rat sooner ." Sion muttered "We could have worked it all out together." If he had known, he would have had a better idea on how to help his boyfriend. Nezumi had expressed many desires that he felt like he couldn't do. At the time Sion didn't understand what was holding him back. He still remembered the time Nezumi admitted he wanted to kiss the prince on the lips. The actor was so frustrated that he couldn't do it. At that thought an unwanted wave of grief threatened to overwhelm him. Nezumi had promised him that he would learn to kiss properly. He said it would take time, but they would eventually do it. Now suddenly Nezumi was gone. Sion would never get the chance to know how it felt to kiss someone he loved passionately.

Fresh sobs rose from his lips and he buried his head in Nezumi's fur. It was unfair. Nothing should have taken away their chance at happiness. In his lap the rat dug his claws into Sion's leg and gave a loud snarl of protest. He was clearly angry that Sion's head was anywhere near his body. The prince pulled back and surveyed the creature. Although he saw anger in his eyes, Sion suddenly realized there was also fear. With a sickening jolt the prince realized that Nezumi was afraid of him. He couldn't get free of this human who was holding him. He didn't understand why he was trapped. Sion clenched his teeth as his vision blurred with tears. He was being unfair. Nezumi never wanted to be trapped. Just because he was a rat didn't mean Sion should attempt to hold him against his will.

"It's time for you to go. Goodbye Nezumi." Sion had hoped saying it out loud would make it easier to let go. Instead it made his insides hurt even more. Sion felt nauseous. He gulped and continued,

"I wish I got the chance to tell you, but you changed my life as well. You showed me how to be free…." It was too much for Sion. He broke down again. He knew he was stalling. He knew by talking he was prolonging Nezumi's freedom but….He couldn't do it. He couldn't let him go.

Sion shook his head frustrated. It wasn't a choice he HAD to let Nezumi go. The actor had given up everything to save him and now he was holding him hostage against his will. That was a poor way to repay Nezumi's kindness. Sion tried to steal himself, but his body refused to listen. His arms refused to open and let the struggling creature free. Sion knew that as long as he felt like he was losing Nezumi he couldn't let go. He needed to do something to say goodbye. It was the only way to make him feel like he was letting Nezumi go instead of losing him. He needed a gesture that was different or special. Something that would stick in his head forever. He knew it was stupid but right now it was the only way.

"I know you didn't want me to do it but I'm going to kiss you." Sion told the animal. "Then after that I promise to let you go, alright?" Sion knew the rat didn't understand him, but it felt important to explain his actions to Nezumi. The prince held up the rat to eye level and leaned forward. He knew it was foolish, kissing a rat, but it was his last chance. If he could just do this one thing maybe it would leave him with less regrets. Sion highly doubted it, but he lied to himself anyways in order to do what he knew had to be done. Sion bent forward and planted his lips against the rats. Nezumi made a half growling and half snarling sound in his throat.

Sion close his eyes. Kissing a rat was unpleasant. To make it worse he knew that any minutes he would feel Nezumi's sharp teeth sinking into his lips. If Nezumi was human, he would scold Sion for his stupidity. He would say, " _Kissing a rat is a sure way to lose your tongue,"_ in that irritated tone of voice. Even so Sion didn't regret it. It was a memory that he could cling to when all his good memories had faded. As he continued to kiss Nezumi he noticed something was different. First of all, Nezumi had stopped snarling and hissing Second of all, the lips that were pressed against his were puffy and most definitely human. Third of all, there was a heavy weight in his lap. Lastly, his hands were against something big. One hand was on something soft that wasn't fur and the other hand was pressed against something sturdy and bony.

Sion opened his eyes confused and alarmed. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness again, he found that the thing sitting in his lap was Nezumi….human Nezumi. He sat there mirroring Sion's confused expression, looking just as beautiful and adorable as Sion remembered him. The prince pulled back in shock and Nezumi gave a cry of surprise as he fell from Sion's lap.

 **"** What the hell? Why am I human again?" Nezumi voice rang into the night causing some birds in a nearby tree to fly away in fear. The dark-haired man looked down at his hands and then at Sion. As he did his eyes narrowed in annoyance and he crossed his arms.

"What did you do? You better not have traded your humanity for mine."

Sion opened his mouth, but no words came out. Instead he just stared at Nezumi, taking in his appearance. Sion knew he was dreaming; it was the only explanation. There was no way Nezumi would suddenly return to him. The fairies made it clear that Nezumi had to be a rat. They wouldn't just take pity on him.

"Hey, I asked you a question. What did you trade for my humanity?"

Sion knew Nezumi was worried, but the prince was afraid to move or speak. If he did, he knew this dream would end. He didn't want that. He didn't want Nezumi to disappear. Nezumi sighed in frustration and grabbed Sion's arm, pulling him closer.

"What's going on?" he demanded again, then concern entered his voice. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Sion gasped in shock at the touch. Even through his numbness he could feel Nezumi's warmth. It felt to real to be a dream. Even so Sion was afraid to trust in his senses.

"Am I dreaming?" he croaked, his throat sore from all the crying. "Are you really here?"

"You weren't expecting me to return." Nezumi concluded his anger fading. "So, this wasn't planned."

"No." Sion whispered. He wanted to believe that Nezumi was right there. He really wanted to believe it. "Nezumi please prove that I'm not dreaming." Nezumi frowned at his boyfriend's request but still pulled Sion's hand forward and place it over his chest.

"What do you feel?"

"Your chest?" Sion wasn't sure what this proved. Nezumi rolled his eyes.

"What else?" Nezumi demanded. Sion paused for a moment.

"Your heartbeat."

"Does it feel like an animal?"

"No."

"That's right." Nezumi voice became gentle again. "I'm alive and human. Is that enough proof to you?"

Sion eyes filled with tears again as his hand fell from Nezumi's chest. He was here. Nezumi was truly here. Slowly, as if he moved to quickly Nezumi might disappear he gathered his boyfriend in his arms and hugged him. With his head pressed against the dark-haired man's chest. As the smells and sounds of Nezumi surrounded him he began sobbing with relief. He felt Nezumi tighten his grip.

"It's alright." Nezumi's soft voice made Sion cry even harder. He repeated Nezumi's name over and over again as he cried his heart out. After a while he was able to calm down enough to pull away from Nezumi and look him in the eye.

"You're really here."

"Yeah." Nezumi muttered. Sion smiled stupidly at him.

"I can't believe you're here."

"Are you just going to keep saying that?" Nezumi asked raising an eyebrow.

"If it means I can hear your voice."

"So, you want me to talk?" Nezumi asked. Sion nodded quietly. "Aright then….uhm." Nezumi fished around for something to say. "It's a nice night out…." He glared at the moon. "It's another full moon? Or is this the same full moon?" he swore under his breath. "How long had it been? I have no frame of time. Did anything happen when I was a rat?" His eyes scanned down Sion and then he swore again loudly. "What happened!"

Sion drew back a little at the venom in his boyfriend's voice. He felt alarmed and confused. Nothing really happened between returning to the human realm and crying a lot. He had no idea why Nezumi sounded so angry. Sion followed the actor's gaze until he was looking down at his own chest and arms. There he found the issue. His hands were covered in blood. Deep cuts ran across his hands. As he continued to look, he noticed that his arms and legs were also bleeding heavily. If he wasn't still in shock it would hurt a lot. As it was it took Sion a few seconds to remember where they came from.

"Oh, you mean these…" Sion muttered. Nezumi clamped his hands down on Sion's shoulders, his expression hardening.

"Who did this to you?" his voice was cold and angry. "Who hurt you."

"Don't worry! You just bit and scratched me while I was holding you as a rat." At Sion's words Nezumi paled. He gently picked up Sion's arm.

"I did this to you?" he asked softly. Sion hated the anguish in his voice. He didn't want Nezumi to be upset. Sion got hurt because he wasn't able to let go of Nezumi. It was Sion's fault that he got hurt.

"You were a rat. You couldn't help it." Sion said quickly. "Besides it was worth get you back."

Nezumi didn't look convinced. He reached into a bag that was tied to his cloak and pulled out some herbs and bandages.

"Sorry" he began treating the wounds. "Even if I didn't know any better, it's still is awful to know I hurt you."

"Nezumi…"

"I hate hurting you." Nezumi shook his head in frustration. "It's the one thing I never wanted to do. Even so I keep doing it. First, I hurt you emotionally by breaking up with you. Then I got you turned into a rabbit and hurt because I couldn't protect you…and now I have hurt you as a rat." Sion listened to Nezumi his heart aching. Why was Nezumi blaming himself for everything? It was only half his fault. Sion was the one who was over emotional and helpless. How many times did Nezumi have to go out of his way to protect the prince because he was weak?

"It's not all your fault." Sion looked down. "It's partly my fault. I always managed to mess things up. Besides, you can't really blame yourself for my current injuries. I was the one who was holding you captive as a rat."

"Yeah about that. " Nezumi shot Sion a look, "Why did you think it was a good idea to hang on to me as a rat? I thought you knew rats could be dangerous. Isn't that why you are afraid of them?

"Were afraid of them!" Sion protested. "I'm not afraid of rats anymore. Also, I was going to let you go but I just needed to build up enough courage."

"How long was that going to take?" Nezumi asked exasperated. "I could have rip your arm off!"

" I wanted to say goodbye first." Sion pouted. Nezumi gave him a look. Sion knew what Nezumi was going to say about kissing a rat. It wasn't like he was wrong. If the actor hadn't turned back Sion would have had very bloody lips by now. At that thought a wave of understanding hit Sion.

"That's what it is!" A smile crossed the white-haired man's face. Nezumi finished treating Sion's wounds and sat back.

"What?"

"You're back and I kissed you!"

"I don't see the correlation." Nezumi rolled his eyes. "Unless doing something stupid can cause rats to magically turn into humans."

"No, I mean the kiss. It was true love's first kiss!"

"True love's first what?" Nezumi look unamused. "What the hell is that."

"Oh, come on you must have heard of it." Sion laughed. "Everyone knows about it. It has to be the most well know kind of magic anywhere. It's the idea that that if you kiss someone who is your "true love" for the first time you can break any curses." Of all the magic that Sion was interested that was the one he spends the least amount of time on. It was common knowledge. Although people were afraid of magic, they liked that kind. Sion studied different kinds of magic in the hopes of helping people accept it. It was so basic that Sion forgot existed most of the time.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Nezumi's voice rang out breaking Sion out of his thought.

"Huh why? It's romantic."

"First of all." Nezumi said irritated. "If all you needed was two people to kiss and break a spell then why didn't you just kiss someone back when you turned into a rabbit as a kid?"

"Because they had to be my true love."

"There's no such thing!" Nezumi exclaimed.

"You're my true love." Sion muttered. Nezumi sighed frustrated.

"Ok" Nezumi ran his hand through his hair. "Say that's the case. We've kissed multiple times. Doesn't this need to be 'first kiss?'" Sion stared at him. He had thought Nezumi was joking. It was just dawning on him that, since Nezumi had been a rat most of his life, he actually had no idea that this kind of magic existed.

"You really haven't heart of it before." Sion said. Nezumi shook his head confirming Sion's suspicions. "Well it only works if you kiss on the lips."

"Of course, it is." Nezumi rolled his eyes. "What is it with human's obsession with kissing on the lips." He glowered at Sion. "You're lucky I didn't bite your tongue off. Seriously what a stupid loophole."

"It's not a loop hope. You must have seen something like this before! You've read enough." Nezumi frowned as he thought things over

"I guess I have seen this a couple of places. But those were all princes kissing enchanted princesses or lovely maidens. I never heard of someone kiss a rat before, besides, if this was a story like that, Cinderella would most likely be the main character." Nezumi waved a hand. "She's the one with the fairly godmother. I would just be a side character who might get a passing mention if I'm lucky."

"You're the main character in my story." Sion whispered shyly.

"How do you manage to say the dorkiest things that someone sound cute coming from you."

"Just lucky I guess."

"Hmmm" Nezumi eyes suddenly narrowed. "Hang on, if 'true loves first kiss' turned me into a human wouldn't it have turned you back when you were a rabbit?"

"Oh yeah," Sion laughed. "To bad I didn't think of telling you about it before."

"Why didn't Cinderella mention it?" Nezumi asked irritated. "She's a hopeless romantic, surely she knows about it."

"Nezumi, when she heard we were dating she probably assumed you already kissed me…on the lips that is. It's a common thing for humans to do."

"I really wish I knew this was an option. It would have been much easier to just kiss you then to escape from jail."

"What?"

"Thing got crazy after you turned into a rabbit." Nezumi snorted. "Sir William decided that I was lying about you being the rabbit and thought I killed you. He almost had me hung and you were almost turned into rabbit stew." He glanced around at the unconscious men. "They chased me all the way here."

"Hold on Sir William did what?!" Sion couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Start from the beginning." Nezumi sighed again before launching into his story. As he explained things Sion's insides clenched. How many times had he told Sir William that Nezumi was trustworthy? He couldn't believe that the knight had so little faith in him that the second something went wrong he refused to believe Nezumi. It made his furious to hear it.

"I can't believe they did that!" Sion roared. Nezumi looked taken aback by Sion's anger.

"Whoa calm down." Nezumi said surprised. "As much as I don't like the guy, I do see why it happened. I never gave him a reason to trust me."

"Maybe, but he could have at least trusted me and my judgement." Sion's eyes narrowed. "We're going to have a _long_ talk after he wakes up." Nezumi eyed him.

"I've never seen you this angry before."

"Sir William went behind my back and tried to kill you! I think my anger is justified." Sion seethed. Nezumi looked unconvinced but didn't press the matter. Instead he just looked at Sion.

"What?"

"I just realized that our first kiss on the lips was when I was a rat." He scolded. "That was not what I wanted."

"It doesn't need to be our only kiss." Sion said shyly. Nezumi hummed and then leaned forward. Gently their lips met. Sion pressed him lips again Nezumi's. It was the most wonderful sensation ever. After a couple of seconds Nezumi pulled back.

"Sorry." He muttered. "That's as much as I can do now." He looked put out. "My stupid rat instincts are keeping me from going longer."

"That's alright. We can work up to it! We have time after all"

Nezumi turned to look into Sion's eyes. In them Sion saw respect and love. Nezumi broke eye contact and looked down.

"Sion when I first met you, I never thought I would get to this point." Nezumi looked down at his hands. "And now that we have all the time in the world, I don't know what to do with myself. However." He looked back at Sion, determination in his eyes. "I realize I don't just want to be boyfriends. I don't think I could stand people always trying to get you away from me."

Sion sucked in his breath. Was Nezumi going to say what he thought he was going to say? Was Nezumi proposing to him? He tried not to keep his hopes high. Just because the prince's mind went to marriage didn't mean that Nezumi was thinking the same thing.

"Shit this is harder than I thought it would be." Nezumi took a deep breath in. "Sion, I want you to be my mate."

Sion stared at him. This was not what he was expecting. What did Nezumi mean by mate? It was definitely a rat thing, but he wasn't sure if it meant the same thing as marriage.

"Are you asking me to marry you?" Sion finally asked.

"Yeah that's what I just said." Nezumi frowned, disappointment in his eyes. "You don't seem to happy about it. If you don't want to that's fine."

"It's not that!" Sion waved his hands. "It's just…mate…"

"Yeah?" Nezumi's lost expression made Sion laugh a little. The dark-haired man glowered. "What? Am I saying something wrong?"

"When you refer to mate, is this a rat thing?"

"Do humans do not use the word mate?"

"They do…."

"Then what's the problem?" Nezumi sighed irritated. "I want you to be my mate. I want to live with you. I want to raise our young with you. I want to protect you from danger. I want to snuggle up with you when it's cold. I want to share meals with you." He shot Sion a look. "Isn't that what humans do?"

"Yes..." Sion's face turned bright red. "But we would call that marriage."

"Yeah I know I've read about marriage before." Nezumi huffed. "I want to marry you. I want you to be my mate. It's the same thing."

"I guess but humans don't use it that way. Mate is….well a mate is a word that could mean friend, or it could mean….uhhh." Sion's face turned redder. "They want to mate with you…you know." Sion coughed. "sex."

"Yeah I want you to be my friend and I want to mate with you as well as the other things I've said." Nezumi agreed.

"Nezumi!" Sion squeaked.

"I don't get the hang up." Nezumi frowned.

"It's….you know what never mind. Just do me a favor. When you talk to other people call it marriage…say we're husbands. When we're alone though you can call me your…mate." The word felt strange in Sion's mouth. It would take a while to get used to being called that,

"Humans and your rules." Nezumi sighed. "Why must you make everything so complicated. " Sion laughed lightly. Nezmi shot him a look. "You didn't answer the question though. Do you want to be my mate?"

"Yes. I do want to be your…mate." A warm sensation rose in Sion's chest. He was going to marry Nezumi. Now he would be able to have the dark-haired man by his side forever. Next to him Nezumi's expression lightened. He pulled Sion close to him.

"I'm glad."

Sion smiled and snuggled into Nezumi's warm embrace. Nearby they heard an audible groan. Sion pulled away to look where the sound was coming from. Some of his unconscious men were starting to stir. Sion scold down at them. When they wake up the prince was going to give them an earful. They would be hearing about this all the way back to the castle and then some time after that, especially Sir Williams. When he finished chewing them out, Sion supposed he should forgive them. It wouldn't really do to have grudges while planning your wedding. As long as the knight didn't say anything about him marrying Nezumi Sion would let him attend.

"Looks like they're waking." Nezumi observed.

"They'll be up in the next twenty minutes." Sion said turning his attention back to Nezumi. "In the meantime." He snuggled up closer to him. "let's celebrate your return."

Chewing out the guards and planning the wedding could wait. Right now it was just him and Nezumi under the endless sky.


End file.
